A total 11 Ugandan athletes have already qualified for this year’s IAAF World Athletics Championships (WAC) slated August 10-18 in Moscow, Russia. As time runs out for more runners to beat the different standards and qualify for the sport’s biggest global event (deadline on July 29), there are only two events left before the Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) annual calendar folds.
First is the fourth UAF National Track and Field Trials at Namboole on Saturday before the National Championships are held a week later at the same venue. “There is still time and opportunity for more athletes to make it to Moscow,” UAF publicist Namayo Mawerere told Kawowo Sports on Thursday.
Olympic champion Stephen Kiprotich, Moses Kipsiro (5000m/10,000m), US-based Sarah Nambawa (long jump) and Juliet Chekwel are some of the athletes who have already made the cut.
But Mawerere stressed further that today’s event will be used by clubs to prepare for next weekend’s ‘bigger’ event. “Most teams that have registered will travel from all parts of the country to Namboole on Saturday (today) with focus put on polishing their runners for the nationals.” he added.
Saturday’s event which was meant to take place on May 4 at the same venue but was postponed due to a police state function organised inside the stadium.