KIU Titans closed the first round of the 2024 National Basketball League(NBL) with an 85-53 Victory over Ndejje University Angeles at the MTN Arena in Lugogo on Sunday.

The Titans were in control throughout the game en route to their eighth victory of the season.

KIU Titans led 21-11 in the first quarter and added 21 more points in the next ten minutes to establish a 21-point margin at the halftime break.

The third quarter ended 67-40 in favour of the Titans who kept their feet on the pedal, scoring 18 more points in the fourth to hit the 80-point mark and close off the game with a 31-point win.

Denis Omara scored a game-high 15 points. The shooting guard who also earned his fourth consecutive start picked three rebounds and handed out a couple of assists.

Edgar Munaba finished with a double-double of 12 points and 13 rebounds to go with three assists.

Juf Mpiya and Joel Lukoji Banza as the duo finished with 13 points a piece. Mpiya added nine rebounds, four assists and six steals while Banza had four rebounds and three assists.

After several media reports about the coaching situation at URA Football Club, the entity has officially relieved David Obua of coaching duties.

Obua who had signed a one-year contract leaves the club after just five months in charge.

“After careful consideration and mutual agreement, URA FC and Head Coach David Obua have decided to part ways, terminating his one-year contract five months into his tenure. Alongside him, his first assistant Peter Byaruhanga Adyeri and fitness coach Kawa have also left the club,” a statement from the club reads.

“Robert Mukasa will assume the role of caretaker coach for the rest of the season, supported by Ilic Milosh, Allan Owiny, Robert Ssentongo, and Goalkeeping Coach Swaibu Ssebagala.”

During his time with URA FC, which began in November last year, Obua managed the team in 20 matches across all competitions. He registered eight wins and as many losses while the other four matches ended in draws.

World Athletics announced on Wednesday that it will start awarding prize money at the Olympic Games.

According to a statement from the federation, a total prize pot of 2.4 million dollars has been ring-fenced from the International Olympic Committee’s revenue share allocation, which is received by World Athletics every four years.

The revenue will be used to reward athletes who win a gold medal in each of the 48 athletics events in the Paris Olympic Games with US$50,000.

“The introduction of prize money for Olympic gold medallists is a pivotal moment for World Athletics and the sport of athletics as a whole, underscoring our commitment to empowering the athletes and recognising the critical role they play in the success of any Olympic Games,” World Athletics President, Sebastian Coe, said.

“This is the continuation of a journey we started back in 2015, which sees all the money World Athletics receives from the International Olympic Committee for the Olympic Games go directly back into our sport.”

This initiative by World Athletics also includes a firm commitment to extend the prize money at a tiered level, to Olympic silver and bronze medal winners at the LA 2028 Olympic Games.

“We started with the Olympic dividend payments to our Member Federations, which saw us distribute an extra US$5m a year on top of existing grants aimed at athletics growth projects, and we are now in a position to also fund gold medal performances for athletes in Paris, with a commitment to reward all three medallists at the LA28 Olympic Games.

“While it is impossible to put a marketable value on winning an Olympic medal, or on the commitment and focus it takes to even represent your country at an Olympic Games, I think it is important we start somewhere and make sure some of the revenues generated by our athletes at the Olympic Games are directly returned to those who make the Games the global spectacle that it is,” Coe added.

The payment of prize money will depend upon the World Athletics ratification process, including athletes undergoing and clearing the usual anti-doping procedures.

In Paris, each individual Olympic champion will receive US$50,000. Relay teams will receive the same amount, to be shared among the team.

However, the format and structure of the LA28 Olympic bonuses will be announced nearer the time.

Eight clubs have booked their tickets to the 2024 National Rugby Championship Playoffs.

Going by the standings after Matchday 9, Heathens, Jinja Hippos, Black Pirates, Kobs, Buffaloes, Mongers, Rhinos, and Walukuba have secured playoff spots with the order to be decided after Matchday 11.

Walukuba, in eighth place, has twenty-two points and is 13 points ahead of the next team that can’t catch up even if they pick maximum points from the final two games of the regular season.

The business end of the season will get underway with the top seed taking on the 8th places team in the playoff quarterfinals, 2nd vs 7th, 3rd vs 6th, and 4th vs 5th.

The National Volleyball League regular season concluded over the weekend and former champions Nemostars finished top of the lof after dropping just a single game during the season.

With the normal season done and dusted, the focus shifts to the playoffs as the top sides tussle out for this season’s championship, starting with the best-of-three semifinals.

As per the standings, top-seeded Nemostars will play KAVC while defending champions Sport-S will have to go past UCU Doves for a chance to defend the title.

In the Women’s Serie A, Ndejje Elite will take on Sport-S while defending champions KCCA will battle KCB Nkumba in the other semifinal.

Playoffs Schedule

Men

• Nemostars vs. KAVC
• Sport-S vs. UCU Doves

Women

• Ndejje Elites vs. Sport-S
• KCCA vs Nkumba

Uganda Cricket Association (UCA) has announced Victoria Pearls’ squad for the Women’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifiers slated for April 19 to May 2 in Abu Dhabi.

There is only one change to the team that played at the African Games last month with Immaculate Nandera making way for top-order batter Proscovia Alako.

There has also been a change in leadership of the team with Janet Mbabazi elevated to Captain and Rita Musamali taking up the Vice Captain role. Mbabazi who had been Vice Captain of the side since 2017 replaces Consy Aweko who was in the role from 2022.

Uganda is in Group A alongside Sri Lanka, the USA, Scotland and Thailand.

The games against Scotland and Thailand will be played at night which will be a first-time experience for the Ugandans.

Before the tournament, Victoria Pearls are expected to play a couple of warm-up games against the UAE and Vanuatu.

The Full Squad: Janet Mbabazi (Captain), Rita Musamali (Vice Captain), Consy Aweko, Kevin Awino, Stephanie Nampiina, Immaculate Nakisuyi, Evelyn Anyipo, Sarah Akiteng, Phionah Khulume, Proscovia Alako, Gloria Obukor, Esther Iloku, Lorna Anyait, Malissa Ariokot, Sarah Walaza.

The Group Fixture

Date	Matches	Venue	Time
25/04/2024	Uganda W vs Scotland W	Tolerance Oval	Night
27/04/2024	Uganda W vs USA W	ZCS	Day
29/04/2024	Uganda W vs Thailand W	Tolerance Oval	Night
01/05/2024	Uganda W vs Sri Lanka W	ZCS	Day

World Rugby has released the pools for the final rounds of the 2024 HSBC Sevens Challenger.

The two competitions (Men and Women) will be played simultaneously from May 18-19 in Munich, Germany and Krakow, Poland respectively.

Uganda women’s team, the Lady Rugby Cranes, are in Pool B with Argentina, Paraguay, and Papua New Guinea. The team has played against all pool opponents, except Paraguay.

The tournament will be played at the Henryk Reyman’s Municipal Stadium in Krakow.

Meanwhile, at the Dandestadion in Munich, the men’s final round will also be played.

The Rugby Cranes 7s are in Pool B with Hong Kong China, Tonga, and Mexico. They have only played against Mexico so far this season.

At the end of the two tournaments, the overall top four teams from this season’s Sevens Challenger Series will compete against the overall bottom four teams from this season’s HSBC SVNS Series in the Grand Final qualification tournament.

The top four teams in those Grand Finals in Madrid, Spain to be played from May 31 to June 2 will qualify for the respective men’s and women’s 2025 SVNS Series.

While the men are out of contention for a place in Madrid, the Lady Rugby Cranes who have finished in the top place in Dubai and Montevideo need just another top-four finish to book a ticket to Madrid.

Jacob Kiplimo retained his World Cross Country title after a dominant display in the final stages of the men’s senior race on Saturday at the Park of Friendship in Belgrade.

The Ugandan joined the likes of Ethiopian legend Kenenisa Bekele, and Kenyans Geoffrey Kamworor and Paul Tergat as back-to-back winners of the senior men’s title.

Ethiopian Chimdessa Debele was the first to make a significant move as he opened up a significant lead during the first two laps as pre-race while contenders – including Kiplimo and 2019 winner Joshua Cheptegei – ran in the large pack about 20 meters back.

Just over twelve minutes in, Kenya’s Gideon Rono put in a surge to open up a gap on the rest of the field but he didn’t last long as the chasing pack, headed by Kiplimo and Cheptegei, caught up.

All the glory goes to Uganda 👏

Jacob Kiplimo successfully defends his #WorldCrossCountry crown in Belgrade 🤩 pic.twitter.com/eYIrCkvJtU

— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) March 30, 2024

Kiplimo then started to make a move with about 25 minutes on the clock and Ethipian Berihu Aregawi who eventually won silver was just a step behind the Ugandan.

Kiplimo stretched ahead of his opponents on the final lap and looked confident of retaining his title which he did in 28:09.

Compatriot Joshua Cheptegei finished in sixth in 28:24 behind two Kenyans Nicholas Kipkorir (28:16) and Samwel Chebolei Masai (28:18) but he earned silver in the team contest.

Jacob Kiplimo is eager to defend his title at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.

Kiplimo who won the senior men’s gold at the previous tournament at Bathurst, Australia says he is determined to do it again.

“I know everyone will be all out to try and win the gold this time, but I am very determined to win a second straight gold medal,” Kiplimo said as quoted by Xinhua.

“I know it will not be that easy because I know other athletes have also been working hard ahead of these Championships.

“As an athlete and a team, we have prepared well and we also want to go and win gold in the team event,” he added.

Joshua Cheptegei, the current 5,000m and 10,000m world record holder, will be another star to watch at the event.

Jacob Kiplimo and Joshua Cheptegei will lead Team Uganda at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, Serbia on Saturday, March 30.

The two Ugandans have won the senior men’s event at the past two editions.

Cheptegei won the senior men’s title in Aarhus in 2019 with Kiplimo taking silver and landed gold in the team contest. On the other hand, Kiplimo triumphed in Bathurst last year with Cheptegei finishing third.

The two will line up in Belgrade looking to add more medals to their tally, and they’re joined on the senior men’s team by Martin Kiprotich and Dan Kibet who finished runner-up in the National Cross Country Championships at Tororo Golf Club.

The women’s team is led by national cross-country champion Rachael Chebet. She finished fourth at the 2019 global event.

The National team as officially been flagged off by The National Council Sports chairman Mr. Ambrose Tashobya this evening and the team is ready to fly off to Serbia for the world cross country championships scheduled for Saturday 30th of this very month. Uganda to the world. pic.twitter.com/XbKwplInFw

— Uganda Athletics Federation-UAF (@UgaAthletics2) March 27, 2024

Team Uganda

Senior Men: Leonard Chemutai, Joshua Cheptegei, Dan Kibet, Hosea Kiplangat, Jacob Kiplimo, Martin Magengo Kiprotich

Senior Women: Rachael Zena Chebet, Loice Chekwemoi, Annet Chemengich Chelangat, Sarah Chelangat, Belinda Chemutai, Joy Cheptoyek

U20 Men: Dolphine Chelimo, Hosea Chemutai, Simba Samuel Cherop, Harbert Kibet, Titus Musau, Sailas Rotich

U20 Women: Isella Chebet, Keziah Chebet, Vicky Chekwemboi, Charity Cherop, Nowel Cheruto

Mixed Relay: Knight Aciru, Linda Chebet, Hosea Kiprop, Sam Kapkerung Kiprotich