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Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) Head of Media Abdallah Muhammad has called for more funding from government for athletics and boxing.

Muhammad reasons that these two categories present more potential and Uganda has more chances of excelling at them at the highest level.

Speaking to NBS Sport, Muhammed feels investment in these particular sport disciplines will deliver the holy grail.

“As a country we need to know where our comparative advantage lies, athletics and boxing is where we are strong but we have no investment for these particular sports disciplines.

“If you look at how much money is being put in sports in other countries, I think our sports budget is still peanuts but lets appreciate what we have now because with time we shall get there.”

The debate for funding in Uganda’s sport rages on as athletics and boxing are the only categories that have garnered medals at the Olympics.

Since 1956, Ugandan athletes have won a total of eleven medals, all in athletics (seven) and boxing (four).

Uganda’s middle-distance runners Halima Nakaayi and Winnie Nanyondo struggled at the Rome meeting of the Diamond League.

Nakaayi and Nanyondo finished 10th and 9th in the women’s 800m and 1500m respectively as the pair prepares for the World Championshipships next month.

Nakaayi once again failed to crack the two-minute barrier as she came home in a time of 2:01.15, over four seconds behind race winner and world leader Athing Mu.

The 27-year-old will have to be better if she is to defend her world title in Oregon, USA in July.

Meanwhile, Nanyondo crossed the finish line in a time of 4:06.17, nearly 3 seconds behind race winner Hirut Meshesha of Ethiopia.

Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) has named a 17-member team to compete at the CAA African Championships in Mauritius from 8-12 June 2022.

The women’s squad of seven is led by some of the country’s most experienced athletes, including sprinters Leni Shida (400m) who will skipper the women’s team, national 100m record holder Jacent Nyamuhunge, Aciru Knight (1500m) and Janat Chemusto (1500m, 5000m) all of whom achieved the entry standard during the National trials.

Other athletes on the women’s team include Olympian Sarah Chelangat (5000m, 10,000m), Chebet Rachael Zena (10,000m) and javelin thrower Josephine Lalam.

Captain and sprinter Benson Okot (100m,200m) will lead the national men’s contingent that includes Pius Adome (100m, 200m), Adoli Heron (400m) and Godfrey Chanwengo (400m).

Reigning national cross country champion Ali Chebures (10,000m) makes the squad and will have another go at qualifying for the July World Athletics Championships.

He is joined by Osuje Emmanuel (800m), Dradiga Tom (800m), Abu Mayanja (1500m) and Otim Emmanuel (1500m). Ezekiel Chemutai completes the men’s team and lines up in the 3000m steeplechase event.

“We have prepared quite well for the Africa Seniors, we want to win medals,” says Dominic Otucet, the UAF President. “But most importantly, we want to give a chance to our athletes to qualify for Oregon,” Otucet added.

The CAA African Senior Athletics Championships will be held for the first time since the 2018 edition in Asaba, Nigeria, after postponements and cancellations caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

TEAM UGANDA TO AFRICA SENIORS 

WOMEN

MEN

Joshua Cheptegei has won the men’s 5000m at Nike Pre Classic with 12:57:99, short of the world record he set 12:35:36 in 2020.

The previous record had been set by Ethiopian legend Kenenisa Bekele’s record in 2004

Ethiopian Milkesa Mengesha came second with 13:01:11 as Kenya’s Daniel Simiu Ebenyo (13:10:61) was third.

Another Ethiopian Nibret Melak came fourth with a timing of 13:12:88 and Sam Atkin (Great Britain) finished fifth with 13:15:3.

The rest of the athletes in the top 10 were; Talbi Zouhair (Morocco) 13:24:21, Edward Cheserek (Kenya) 13:25:19, Abdessamad Oukhelfen (Spain) 13:25:33, Mark Owon Lomuket (Kenya) 13:25:82 and USA’s Mason Ferlic (13:48:79).

Cheptegei will be back at the same venue in eight weeks’ time for the Oregon Worlds.

Pre Classic 5000m Race:

ISF Gymnasiade Normandy Games 2022, France:

2000m Steeple chase (Girls):

Uganda claimed four medals in athletics at Stade Helitas in Caen city during the on-going ISF Gymnasiade Games, France.

Under chilly windy weather conditions, Loice Chepkwemoi scooped gold in the 2000m steeple chase for the girls.

It feels nice to win. The preparations were good and I want to maintain this momentum

Loice Chepkwemoi, Ugandan athlete

Another gold medal was recorded by Maureen Chebet in the 800m girls.

There were two bronze medals on the day; from Priscilla Akello (800m) girls steeple chase and Dolphin Chelimo (800m) boys.

Chepkwemoi led from start to finish with an incredible kick to win the competitive race with a timing of 6:36:62 ahead of France’s Jourdan Melissande (6:41:50).

Third place and the bronze was taken by Romanian Flor Stefania Aurelia who raced 6:45:22.

Kazakhstan’s Akbayan Nurmamet and another French, Dajoux Margot completed the top five positions with 6:48:47 and 6:49:57 times respectively.

Another Ugandan, Financia Chepkwemoi was 9th out of 15 runners in the fast race with a time of 7:02:57.

Two bronze medals from Dolphin Chelimo (2000m boys steeple chase) and Priscilla Akello (800m girls) galvanised the day for the East African athletics’ power house.

Uganda’s medal tally now increases to five in the competition after the earlier silver medal by Victor Cherotich in the 3000m boys event.

Ugandan sprinter Shida Leni was successful in Italy as she claimed the women’s 400m at an Assindustria Sport.

Leni was among the foreigners reinforcements who were invited for the category alongside British Kevin Ronald Metzger.

The 27-year old posted 53:38 to win ahead of a host of athletes including Metzger, the leader in 46:70.

“Very happy to win my first race for @assindustriasport 🔵🟡,” Leni wrote on her Instagram page. “Hoping it’s the first of many races for the club in Italy! Forza!”

Leni also won the 4X400m with Ilenia Carraro, Chiara Silvia Meroi among others in 3:46:48.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cdnsws3Imv8/

Olympic medalist Peruth Chemutai finished third with a time of 9:20.07 in the women’s steeplechase race at the Kip Keino Classic at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.

Chemutai was upstaged by Kenyan-born Kazakhstan Norah Jeruto Tanui who ran 9:04.95 and Kenyan Faith Cherotich who was second.

South Africa’s Prudence Sekgodiso crossed the tape before defending champion Mary Moraa and World Champion Halimah Nakaayi to claim women’s 800m.

The 19-year-old held her own, running a competition record time of 1:58.49 seconds while Ugandan Halimah Nakaayi who finished fifth with a time of 2:00.93.

“I am honoured to have been able to run in this Africa meeting, Kenya is like a second home to me.

“The race did not go as I expected but I am hopeful that it’s going to get better. I have many upcoming races that will test me before the World Championships come around,” said Nakaayi.

Winnie Nanyondo who ran the 5000m finished eighth with a time of 16:02.79.

In the men’s 3000m steeplechase, Ugandans Albert Chemutai and Ezekiel Mutai finished tenth and eleventh respectively.

Husband and wife coaching team of Kevin & Sue O’Connor have expressed their delight at Shida Leni’s exploits in the 400 metres of the Kip Keino Classic event.

Leni, came 4th in a season’s best time of 52.29 sec behind South African winner Miranda Coetzee who ran a personal best of 51.50, USA’s Wadeline Jonathans who posted 51.71 and Susanne Walli of Austria 52.13 both season bests.

Since August 3 2013, Shida has been trained by the husband and wife coaching team of Kevin & Sue O’Connor. Kevin told media;

“In London, in the late 1960’s, early 1970’s, I was coached by my father (Pat O’Connor). He taught me many things, but I would say the most important was pace judgment.

“Half a century later, this has carried over into our coaching of Shida. So, above all, in a 400m, do not start too quickly. Try to get a fairly even pace during each 100m of the 400m.

“Yesterday’s, season’s best time, bodes extremely well for her forthcoming races, later in May, in Italy.”

Shida represented Uganda at the 2020 Summer Tokyo Olympics where she ran 400m in 52.48.

World Continental Tour Gold, Nairobi (Kip Keino Classic)

A host of Ugandan athletes are set to feature in the Kip Keino Class world continental tour Gold in Nairobi city, Kenya on Saturday, 7th May 2022.

Among them is sprinter Shida Leni who wants to improve on her seasonal best 51.47 in the 400m women race.

Hellen Syombua of Kenya and Portuguese Scott Gabby as well as Coetzee Miranda (South Africa), Susanne Walli (Austria), Laura Muller (Germany) and Rachel Gloria Pellaud of Switzerland will be vying for the gong as well.

5000m (Men):

Uganda will be represented by Dismas Yeko who has run a personal best of 14:06:90.

He will be facing among others Ethiopian Melak Nibret (12:54:22) and Kenya’s Daniel Ebenyo Simiyu (12:55:88).

5000m (Women):

Winnie Nanyondo with a personal best time of 15:57:16 will battle Kenyan Mercy Cherono (14:33:95), Ethiopian Alem Mizan (14:46:20) and Daisy Jepkemei of Kazakhistan (14:51:72).

 3000m Steeplechase (Men):

Uganda feature two representatives in the 3000m steeplechase men race; Albert Chemutai and Ezekiel Mutai.

They will have to upstage USA’S Stalney Kebenei, Hillary Yego (Turkey), Wilberforce Kones (Kenya), Damuel Deguisa Bariso (Ethiopia), Abraham Kibiwot (Kenya), Benjamin Kigen (enya), Elias Kibet (Kenya), John Koech (Brunei), among others.

800m (Women):

Halima Nakaayi will need to claim in the 800m women event but Slovenia’s Anita Horvat, Naomo Korir (Kenya), South Africa’s Prudence Sekgodiso, Mesele Worknesh (Ethiopia), Jarinter Mwasya (Kenya) will be some of the athletes she will have to beat.

Uganda’s athlete Shida Leni claimed the women 400m race during the 2022 Athletics Kenya National Championships in Nairobi City.

Leni obliterated Kenyan opposition by claiming victory on successive days of the women’s 400m heats, semi-finals & final.

She crossed the tape first with a season best’s time of 52.42 seconds. Coached by Kevin & Sue O’Connor, the former said; “It was cold & raining in Nairobi, which indicates she could have gone even faster in the final.

“Leni is the most determined and dedicated athlete I have ever coached.

“For example, at Silver Springs Hotel’s Espace Gym (which has kindly given Shida complimentary membership), she always tries to lift heavier weights during our weight-training sessions.”