Joshua Cheptegei wants to use the Oslo Diamond League meet to build momentum for the 2024 Olympic Games.

The Tokyo Olympic champion Cheptegei will look to build on his solid start to the season in the 5000m tonight.

Cheptegei had a modest sixth-place finish at the World Cross Country in Belgrade but he ran a 12:52.38 in Los Angeles earlier this month at the Grand Prix.

The three-time world champion is looking forward to his second time in Bislett.

“Last year I missed it and watched the race wishing I was here.  I am still in love with the track, and I wasn’t tactically at my best in my first race, but I will be at my best for Paris.  My target is the 10k as I don’t have an Olympic 10k title, but I will try for the double.

“Tomorrow is all about getting the fire back and starting to build momentum for Paris,” Cheptegei said in the pre-race presser.

Oscar Chelimo and Jacob Kiplimo are the other Ugandans who will also compete in the event alongside Cheptegei.

NBL Results | Wednesday, May 29

• KCCA Panthers 72-70 UCU Canons
• JT Lady Jaguars 74-44 UPDF Lady Tomahawks

KCCA Panthers secured a hard-fought 72-70 victory against UCU Canons in the National Basketball League at Lugogo Indoor Arena on Wednesday.

In the first round, the Panthers won the game 69-65 in yet another close-contested game. Canons suffered the eighth loss of the campaign in 18 games played.

The Canons on the day turned up without their head coach Nicholas Natuhereza, who was away on an official trip to Soroti, but his absence greatly affected the team.

The Mukono-based side lacked character and attention throughout the game, giving the ball away easily but not putting up any contest whenever required.

The Canons kicked off the day with the required rhythm leading the first quarter with seven points (18-25).

Later on, the Panthers greatly improved in the second quarter fighting for every rebound, though they went into the break trailing by eight (43-35).

Coming from the locker rooms, the Panthers kept improving their craft thus reducing their deficit to four points (58-54) at the end of the third period.

It was a nail-biting show in the final quarter as the Panthers claimed the day’s bragging rights.

With 1:40 left on the clock, the game was tied at 70-70 before Emmanuel Okumu converted one of the free throws to give the Panthers a one-point lead.

Zachariah Ekirapa committed a personal foul sending Ceasar Kizito on the line who converted only one of the two free throws.

The Canons launched the game’s last attack, but Nobert Okidi’s jump shot failed to hit the target, hence handing the Panthers the victory.

Ceaser Kizito led the Panthers’ scoring chart with 18 points. Stephen Otoa, Emmanuel Okumu, and Emmanuel Ateng also scored a double digit dropping 17, 13, and 11 points, respectively.

On the other hand, Canons had four players scoring a double-digit namely; Nobert Okidi (16), Joel Kayiira (13), Jonathan Kasilimbi (11) and Zachariah Ekirapa.

NBL Fixtures – Wednesday, May 29

• JT Jaguars vs UPDF Lady Tomahawks
• KCCA Panthers vs UCU Canons

UCU Canons will take on KCCA Panthers tonight in a National Basketball League encounter at Lugogo Indoor Arena, Kampala.

The encounter promises to be a closely contested game since both sides come into the game with similar ambitions of returning to winning ways.

In the recent fixtures, the Panthers fell to JKL Dolphins while UCU Canons suffered a huge 93-109 loss to Namuwongo Blazers.

Ahead of the game, Canons Captain Ibanda Lwabaga told this publication that they should improve on their defence if they are to win the game.

“We have to improve our defence and contest for the ball quite often if we are to win games,” he said.

“In our previous game, we put in a great shift offensively but lacked the grip and hard work to guard our hoop. We have tried to rectify a number of things and I anticipate a good game,” he added.

“At this moment each game counts because we want to collect more wins so that we finish in a more favourable position ahead of the playoffs.”

In the game against Nam Blazers, the Canons had a good day offensively but were not tight at the back on top of giving away easy turnovers.

In the 17 games played by either side, each team has so far secured 10 wins and suffered seven losses.

In the first round, the Panthers edged the Canons 69-65 in a close game and it’s just a moment of time to see if the Mukono-based side can avenge the earlier loss.

Cricket Uganda has named a strong Victoria Pearls side to feature at the 10^th edition of Kwibuka Tournament in Kigali, Rwanda from May 30^th – June 8^th.

The annual ladies’ tournament hosted by the Rwanda Cricket Association which has grown in international stature since 2014 has attracted eight teams this year with Zimbabwe, Cameroon and Malawi set to feature for the first time.

The other teams include hosts Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Botswana and Nigeria. Uganda and Kenya have each won the tournament three times with the hosts Rwanda the defending champions. 

The Victoria Pearls squad for the tournament is a balance of experience and youth with an eye on the U-19 World Cup Qualifiers later this year. The squad of 14 players features six players who are U-19 and will need the exposure at the Kwibuka to be game-ready for the qualifiers.

The baby Victoria Pearls technical team of Head Coach Yusuf Nanga, Assistant Coach Ivan Kakande and Team Manager Lelia Namaganda will be part of the contingent to have a look at the other teams.

Uganda last won the Kwibuka in 2016 and were on the wrong end of the result last year against Rwanda.

Zimbabwe will pose a new challenge for the teams but Nigeria, Kenya and Rwanda are all hungry for success.

The tournament has international T20i status therefore teams will be looking for ranking points as well.

The Team: Janet Mbabazi (Captain), Rita Musamali, Consy Aweko, Kevin Awino, Stephanie Nampiina, Immaculate Nakisuyi, Sarah Walaza, Malisa Ariokot, Lorna Anyait, Patricia Timong, Akurut Asumin, Proscovia Alako, Jimia Muhammad, Immaculate Nandera, 

Team Officials: Lawrence Ssematimba (Head Coach), Yusuf Nanga, Ivan Kakande, Lelia Namaganda Ondeko (Team Manager) 

Uganda’s Kwibuka Fixtures 

Date	Match	Time	Venue
30/05/2024	Uganda W v Botswana W	14:30	Gahanga Main Oval
31/05/2024	Uganda W v Nigeria W	11:00	Gahanga B
1/6/2024	Uganda W v Zimbabwe W	15:00	Gahanga B
3/6/2024	Uganda W v Malawi W	10:30	Gahanga Main Oval
4/6/2024	Uganda W v Kenya W	11:00	Gahanga B
5/6/2024	Uganda W v Rwanda W	14:30	Gahanga Main Oval
7/6/2024	Uganda W v Cameroon	11:00	Gahanga B
08/06/2024	FINAL	14:30	Gahanga Main Oval

Peruth Chemutai shone at the 2024 Prefontaine Classic as she claimed the women’s 3000m steeplechase victory on Saturday night with 8:55.09.

It was Chemutai’s first-ever sub-9-clocking in the event and with that, she smashed her own National Record (9:01.45) set in 2021 during the finals of the Olympic games where she claimed gold.

It was the second Diamond League race for the 24-year-old Ugandan having competed in the Xiamen meeting last month where she clocked 9:12.99, finishing in 3rd place.

With that victory and world-leading time, Chemutai looks to be getting ready to defend her Olympic title in Paris as the games approach.

The Kenyan duo of Beatrice Chepkoech and Faith Cheroitich who finished ahead of Chemutai in Xiamen came second and third at Heyward Field in 8:56.51 and 9:04.45 respectively.

Meanwhile, Halima Nakaayi who registered victory at the Continental Tour Gold event barely two weeks ago struggled in the Women’s 800m.

Nakaayi clocked 1:58.18, good enough for a fifth-place finish.

The next Diamond League event will be on Thursday, 30th May in Oslo where Ugandan long-distance stars Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo will compete in the men’s 5000m.

National Basketball League | Results

• JT Lady Jaguars 70-62 KCCA Leopards
• Nam Blazers 109-93 UCU Canons

Nam Blazers secured a well-deserved 109-93 victory against UCU Canons in the National Basketball League encounter at Lugogo Indoor Arena on Friday.

It was a real thrilling experience of a Friday night basketball game as both were emphatic on the offense keeping the fans on their feet throughout the game.

It was a quick game from the word go though it ended even at 25-25 after the first quarter.

However, Blazers finally found their spark in the second quarter leading the second quarter by 10 points (31-21).

Joseph Chuma was so impressive in the first two periods of the game dropping 22 points before the long break.

Canons turned up strong rotating the ball the find a wide shot but they failed to keep into the game giving away two easy turnovers in the last minutes thus trailing by seven at the end of the third quarter.

Blazers kicked off the final quarter in the desired mood with Peter Cheng’s long shot and it was only but the start of the scoring party.

Blazers had four players scoring in double digits; Joseph Chuma (33), Jimmy Williams (22), Peter Cheng (17 and Micheal Makiadi (11).

Canons equally had four players dropping double digits; Ibanda Lwabaga (24), Kevin Kasobya (19), Peter Sifuma (17), and Joel Kayira (10).

NBL Fixtures | Friday, May 24

• JT Lady Jaguars vs KCCA Leopards – 7:00 pm
• Nam Blazers vs UCU Canons – 9:00 pm

UCU Canons will lock horns with Namuwongo Blazers tonight in the National Basketball League at Lugogo Indoor Arena in Kampala.

Blazers will be seeking to avenge the Canons having lost the first-round encounter 65-53 in a thrilling but tight game.

Canons head coach Nicholas Natuhereza has rallied his troops to turn up with confidence and try and put up a good game.

“We have prepared well and I am confident we shall play a good game. Yes, the campaign has not been the best but we always look at improving,” he said.

“We are going to play a good team and we respect that but we are ready for the challenge. The players are in a good mood and we have no injuries,” he added.

Blazers come into this game with a hot form having won five games in a row since the loss against the Mukono-based side.

Out of the 16 games played thus far, the Blazers have secured 13 victories and have lost only thrice unlike the Canons who have six losses on their report card.

Blazers’ camp will be excited about the return of Jimmy Williams. The American guard joins the Blazers having impressed in the second round of last season.

His arrival adds more quality to the Blazers’ roaster but also ignites the confidence in the camp knowing they can challenge for the championship.

In the Women, JT laddy Jaguars will be daring KCCA Leopards in the first game of the Friday Hoops action.

Having won the first-round encounter 65-53, KCCA Leopards will seek to continue with their impressive campaign by picking a double against the Lady Jaguars.

KCCA Leopards have been boosted by the return of shooting guard Margaret Bagaala who has been away with NIC that lifted the East Africa Netball Championship title.

The Federation of Uganda Basketball Associations (FUBA) has officially launched the FIBA Africa U18 Zone V Qualifiers which shall be hosted at the MTN Arena in Lugogo.

The tournament to be played in both categories (boys and girls) will run from 9^th to 14^th June 2024.

Ten (10) countries have already confirmed their participation in the week-long event. Uganda will be joined by Kenya, Somalia, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Eritrea, Burundi, Ethiopia, and Sudan.

“The goal for both our teams is to qualify for the main event in South Africa with only one ticket available for the winner of this Zone V preliminaries,” Hudson Ssegamwenge, the head of the LOC and also the VP Administration FUBA, said of the targets.

“Aside from preparations that have been ongoing already, the teams will start residential camping this week before we tip off for the tournament,” Ssegamwenge added.

Uganda’s teams started preps last year with the first training camp held at KIU in Kansangaa with over 200 players.

“Our preparation has been immense, we started last year (2023). At the moment, I’d like to say that we are complete; we are only going to add one player,” John Omondi, the Head Coach of the U-18 Girls’ National team, said.

Ugandan amateur golfers Joseph Cwinya-ai and IbrahimBagalana will compete at the 2024 Zambia Amateur Golf Open Championship.

The Zambia Amateur Golf Open Championship is set to tee off on Friday, May 24 and run up to May 26 at the Lusaka Golf Club.

The two Ugandans go into the tournament with some from local tournaments. Cwinya-ai won the gross category for the 2024 Captain’s Bell at the par-72 Uganda Golf Club over the weekend. Bagalana came second.

“It was a good performance to win and this victory boosts my morale coming to the 2024 Zambia Open,” Cwinyaai said after the Captain’s Bell win.

Bagalana was runners-up at last year’s Uganda Open and will be looking to emulate Godfrey Nsubuga who won several tournaments outside Uganda including the Tanzania Open.

Black Pirates and Heathens RFC are the last two teams standing in the 2024 National Rugby Championship after qualifying for the Playoff Finals on Saturday.

Pirates qualified for the Championship Playoffs Final after beating Jinja Hippos while Heathens edged old foe KOBs in the semifinal ties.

Pirates bounced from a first-leg one-point defeat at Damwaters to knock out Hippos by 54-51 points having won the closely contested return leg played at King’s Park, 27-23.

Heathens lost the return-leg match at Kyadondo, 18-15, but they won 42-36 on aggregate points. The return leg was a contest off the kicking tee between youngsters Malcom Okello (Heathens) and Calvin Gizamba (KOBs) with each scoring all the points for their respective teams.

When the two finalists met during the regular season, Heathens beat Pirates 16-12 at Kyadondo.

However, according to media reports, the final will be hosted at Mandela National Stadium in Namboole on 1st June.