Uganda’s capital, Kampala will be the fourth African city in the history of the IAAF World Cross Championships to host the tournament after 2015 hosts Guiyang of China passed the baton to the East African city.
Ugandan runners will be home for the competition, it has been confirmed and will host all other participating nations for the global cross-country event in two years’ time, a decade after it was last staged in Africa.
IAAF President Lamine Diack handed the IAAF flag to the Kampala 2017 local organising committee, marking their position as hosts of the next IAAF World Cross Country Championships at the post-championships banquet at the Guiyang Eco Conference Centre.
According to iaaf.org, Jennifer Musisi, executive director of the Kampala Capital City Authority; Charles Bakkabulindi, minister of education and sports and chairman of the LOC; and Dominik Otucet, president of Uganda Athletics and vice chairman of the LOC received the honours and the flag to host the next edition of the showpiece.
The 2015 edition of the World Cross Country Championships closed out in Guiyang on Saturday with the Uganda senior Women’s team getting crowned Bronze medalists.
And now thoughts of all athletics enthusiasts and athletes preparations are already geared and turned to the next edition of the championships in which will be in Kampala in 2017.
About Kampala
Kampala is Uganda’s largest city and capital. It has a population of over 3 million people and is a rapidly growing East African City.
Kampala was originally home to several species of antelope, particularly Impala before the British colonialists arrived called the area “Hills of the Impala”.
The single word ‘Kampala’ was adopted as the name for the city after the indigenous tribe then, Baganda, evolved the name in their local dialect.
According to Lonely planet, it’s a dynamic and engaging city, with few of the hassles of its eastern neighbour and several worthy attractions to keep you occupied for a couple of days.
As you head up Nakasero Hill, you quickly hit Kampala’s most expensive hotels and the urban core fades into something of a garden city.
You’ll find many of the embassies and government buildings, as well as exclusive residential zones. It’s also home to swanky restaurants and bars, popular with expats worth visiting.
Kampala has gained maximum credibility over the years after successfully hosting the 2014 Africa Cross Country Championships held on 16 March at the Kololo Golf Course – the first time the nation hosted the event since its re-launch in 2011.
