KAMPALA – The National Council of Sports (NCS) on Tuesday, 24th September, flagged off a team of athletes ahead of the IAAF World Athletics Championships.
Uganda is one of 201 teams that will compete at the event which will be held in Doha, Qatar between 27th September and 6th October.
A team of six athletes were flagged off at the NCS head quarters in Lugogo.
It was revealed that this was just the first bunch as the national will be represented by 22 athletes in total.
The team that was flagged off on Tuesday included Shida Leni, Stella Chesang, Peruth Chemutai, Stephen Kissa, Linet Chebet and Rachael Zena Chebet.
They will be joined by Halima Nakayi, Winnie Nanyondo and Oscar Chelimo who are already in Europe and will just fly to Doha.
The other bunch that includes the likes of Jacob Kiplimo, Solomon Mutai, Stephen Kiprotich and Joshua Cheptegei will leave for Doha on October 4.
Coach Mohammed Abdallah confirmed that the last bunch – long distance runners – are still maximizing their training as their event will come near to the end of the Championship.
“We have had good preparations, Abdallah told Journalists at Lugogo.
“We hope to do better than last time as we have a bigger and stronger contingent.
“However, people should pray for us because we are going to go against the World’s best.”
In the last championship in 2017 held in London, Uganda scooped one medal as Cheptegei finished second in the 5000M final behind Mo Farah.
The team has been in camp for two months in Kapchorwa. However, Kapchorwa conditions are cold while Doha is very hot. Coach Abdallah noted that some athletes held their training during afternoon (hot).
The Uganda Athletics team for Doha
Males
Ronald musagala – 1500m
Chemutai Albert – 3000mSC
Kiplagat benjamin – 3000mSC
Sikowo abel – 3000mSc
Kissa stephen- 5000 m
Chelimo Oscar – 5000 m
Cheptegei joshua – 10,000m
Kiplimo jacob – 10,000
Mande Abdallah 10,000
Kiprotich stephen – marathon
Musubo fred – marathon
Mutai solomon – marathon
Females
Shida leni – 400m
Halimah nakayi -800m
Nanyondo Winnie – 800&1500
Chebet esther – 1500m
Chemutai Peruth – 3000m
Chelengat Sarah – 5000m
Chekwel Juliet – 10,000 m
Chebet Rachel zena – 10,000m
Chesang Stella 10,000m
Chebet linnet – marathon
