The National Track and Field Athletics Championships set for this weekend were shifted from Namboole Stadium to Makerere University grounds to pave way for the Happy Science festival.The electronic timing system will not be used on the grass surface at Makerere and many athletes close to the London Olympics’ qualification standards thought they would use this event to post better times but all seems to be in vain with a month to the quadrennial games.
Dominic Otuchet, the Uganda Athletics Federation’s (UAF) president said the move was a big blow to many athletes. Namboole is the only facility in the country that has tartan tracks which can allow the system and help athletes have good performances. “It is sad that sports in Uganda can never receive first recognition” Mildred Gamba, a female sprinter said.
But in the spirit of sportsmanship, the management of the stadium is set to offer tickets to UAF for five athletes who will head to Porto Novo, Benin for the Africa Senior Championships on Sunday.“We still want sports to benefit” said Dan Tamwesigire, the stadium committee head.
Athletics is one of Uganda’s most successful sports at the Olympics, with two medals from the games.