As the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Games continue in Japan, we take a closer look at Winnie Nanyondo’s profile, a Ugandan middle-distance runner.

Name: Winnie Nanyondo

Age: 27

Gender: Female

Place of Birth: Mulago 

Country of birth: Uganda

Residence Country: Uganda

Background: Nanyondo studied Industrial design at Kampala University, Uganda. She almost quit running after finishing high school in 2011 because she had no money and was about to enroll at university. She had to balance work at her mother’s salon. Then her coach left for the US and she was left alone. A friend was willing to help her though she had to walk long distances to be able to train. Later it paid off.

Highlights: Nanyondo has managed four podium finishes in 2021. She claimed the Indoor 1500m at Campeonato de España de Clubes in Barcelona (4:17:36). 8 days before, she had crossed the tape in 2nd position over the same distance at the Karlsruhe, Europahalle, Karlsruhe – Indoor Meeting. At the Spanish Club Meeting, Nanyondo also won the 1500m race on June 13th this year. Her major podium finish came at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games when she came 3rd (bronze) in 2:01:38 over the 800m distance. 

Tokyo Olympics Initial participation pending qualification;

Women’s 800m Round 1 – Heat 1

Date and Time: Fri 30 July (4:25am EAT)

Venue: Olympic Stadium

Women’s 1500m Round 1 – Heats 1-3

Date and Time: Mon 2 Aug. (3:35am – 3:59am EAT)

Venue: Olympic Stadium

As the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Games continue in Japan, we take a closer look at Albert Chemutai’s profile, a Ugandan middle-distance runner.

Name: Albert Chemutai 

Age: 26

Gender: Male

Place of Birth: Benet 

Country of birth: Uganda

Highlights: Chemutai represented Uganda at the 2017 World Championships finishing tenth in the final. He featured at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games where finished 5th in the 3000m men’s Steeplechase in 8:19:83. At the 2016 World U20 Championships in Poland, he made 7th over the same distance, running 8:37:76.

Tokyo Olympics Participation;

Men’s 3000m Steeplechase Round 1 – Heat 1-3

Date and Time: Fri 30 July (3:00am – 3:34am EAT)

Venue: Olympic Stadium

KCCA Football Club has completed the signing of Yasser Mugerwa from Ethiopian side Sidama Coffee.

The Lugogo-based club annunced the capture of the midfielder on Wednesday evening. He thus becomes the club’s third signing after Brian Majwega and Emmanuel Wasswa.

Mugerwa has signed a two-year deal with the 13-time Uganda Premier League champions that runs until July 2023.

The attacking midfielder has previously worked with head coach Morley Byekwaso during their days at Sports Club Victoria University.

Mugerwa has in the past featured for local side URA FC, South African club Orlando Pirates, Ethiopian giants St George, as well as Shire FC and Fasil Kenema.

• USA gymnast Simone Biles cited mental health challenges as the reason for withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympics
• U.S. team of Stefanie Dolson, Allisha Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young won the first women’s gold medal in the new Olympic sport of 3-on-3 basketball
• Japan’s badminton world number one Kento Momota lost in the first round at the Tokyo Olympics 
• Egypt’s U23 national team have reached the quarter-finals of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after a tough 2-0 victory over Australia

Star gymnast Simone Biles cited her mental health concerns for withdrawing from the individual all-around competition at the Tokyo Olympics. “It’s been a long Olympic process, it’s been a long year,” she told reporters after she stopped competing in the team event. “And I think we’re just a little bit too stressed out.” Biles’ teammates applauded her decision to take care of her mental well-being. But she’s not the only athlete who talked about the pressures of performing at the Games. [npr]

The U.S. team of Stefanie Dolson, Allisha Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young won the first women’s gold medal in the new Olympic sport of 3-on-3 basketball. Plum scored all five of her points early to help the Americans take the lead and they held on for an 18-15 win over the team representing the Russian Olympic Committee. [The Denver Post]

Japan’s badminton world number one Kento Momota lost in the first round at the Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday, a day after Japanese tennis superstar Naomi Osaka also crashed out. Unseeded South Korean Heo Kwang-hee beat Momota 21-15, 21-19, ending the favourite’s bid for the gold medal after just two games. Momota was appearing in his first Olympics, having been banned for gambling in an illegal casino just months before the 2016 Rio Games. [Time of India]

Egypt’s U23 national team have reached the quarter-finals of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after a tough 2-0 victory over Australia in the final round of the group-stages. The Young Pharaohs are placed in the group of death alongside European champions Spain, Argentina, and Australia. They opened the group-stages with a heroic 0-0 draw with Spain, before suffering a 1-0 defeat to Argentina to put their qualifcation hopes to the knockout stage in jeopardy. [Kingfut]

Uganda Premier League champions Express Football Club have announced the signing of Uganda Cranes goalkeeper Joel Mutakubwa.

The 27-year-old joins the Red Eagles on a free transfer and has signed a two-year deal with the Wankulukuku-based side.

Mutakubwa who has good ball distribution and quick reflexes says he has joined the right club.

“This is a great step towards achieving my goals as a footballer,” said Mutakubwa as quoted by the club website. “Express FC is surely the right place to be because of the championship mentality here. I know what is expected of me and I’ll do my very best to perform at the highest level.”

Mutakubwa has previously played for Tooro United and most recently relegated Kyetume Football Club where he kept 10 clean sheets in the league last season.

The draws for the 2021 Cecafa Kagame Cup were conducted on Tuesday.

Ugandan champions Express Football Club were drawn in Group C while their compatriots and defending champions are in Group A.

Express who return to the regional tournament for the first time since 2012 were drawn alongside Yanga of Tanzania and Big Bullets from Malawi.

On the other hand, KCCA who will be aiming to defend their crown are pooled alongside KMKM from Zanzibar and Burundi Champions Le Messager Ngozi FC.

Group C has Azam FC of Tanzania, South Sudan’s Altabara FC, and Tusker FC of Kenya.

The tournament will be played from 1st-15th August in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Groups

• GROUP A: KCCA FC (Uganda), Le Messager Ngozi FC (Burundi), KMKM SC (Zanzibar)
• GROUP B: Azam FC (Tanzania), Altabara FC (South Sudan), Tusker FC (Kenya)
• GROUP C: Young (Tanzania), Express FC(Uganda), Big Bullets FC (Malawi)

KCCA Football Club has completed the signing of Alex Emmanuel Wasswa.

Wasswa joins the Lugogo-based side on a three-year contract until 2024.

The move comes in the aftermath of the box-to-box midfielder’s mutual agreement to part ways with SC Villa and take his place in the new look KCCA under the stewardship of Morley Byekwaso.

Wasswa came to the limelight at Ndejje University before moving to SC Villa two seasons ago.

The midfielder could make his debut for the club at the CECAFA Kagame Cup next month in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

KCCA will have to negotiate passage through Group A against Le Messanger Ngozi FC from Burundi and Zanzibar’s KMKM.

KCCA Football Club has confirmed that midfielder Steven Sserwadda has completed a move to Major League Soccer club New York Red Bulls.

The Lugogo based club released a statement on Tuesday confirming the departure of the diminutive playmaker who will cross over to the USA.

“We hereby confirm that we have finalised an agreement for the transfer of Steven Sserwadda to New York Red Bulls on an undisclosed permanent transfer,” reads a statement from KCCA FC.

New York Red Bulls expressed their interest in the youngster immediately after the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations in Mauritania where he was part of the Uganda Kobs side that reached the finals albeit lost to Ghana.

Sserwadda is a product of the KCCA Soccer Academy and has been at Lugogo for six years.

The Federation of Uganda Football Associations (Fufa) has announced the re-appointment of Milutin Sredojević as Ugandan Cranes head coach.

The Serbian returns for his second stint after his departure in 2017 after guiding Uganda to the Africa Cup of Nations, its first after nearly four decades.

Micho as he is popularly known has been given the mandate to name the backroom staff he will work with for the next two and a half years.

“FUFA names Michocoach the new Head coach of Uganda Cranes on a three-year renewable contract effective 1st August 2021. The Head coach has a contractual mandate to name his backroom staff. He will address the media on Tuesday 3rd August 2021,” the federation tweeted.

Micho confirmed the development through his Twitter account and is delighted to return to his “African Football Home”.

“After exactly 4 years of African football studies on universities of life and football at Orlando Pirates, Zamalek and Zambia going back to my African football home,” Micho tweeted.

Bombers captain Shadiri Bwogi has apologized to Ugandans for having exited the 2020 Tokyo Olympics at the hands of Georgian boxer Eskerkhan Madiev on Tuesday.

Bwogi lost the close round of 16 men’s welterweight (63-69kg) bout by split decision after the judges scored 29-27, 28-28, 26-30, 26-30, 26-30 in favour of Madiev.

The 24 year-old expressed his gratitude towards the support he received before breaking down to say “sorry” for his misfortune.

In a tweet Bwogi said; “Victory have [sic] many fathers but Defeat is an Orphan, thanks to all my people who wished me well in the on going Olympic games and am sorry for the lose [sic],its been a great experience, next time better.👏Inshallah.”

Bwogi was Uganda’s last man standing in the boxing category before joining Catherine Nanziri who lost to Japanese soldier Tsukimi Namiki and David Ssemujju who bowed out at the hands of Younes Nemouchi.