When Uganda’s representatives got onto a plane with their ‘drawing board’ for the Rio Olympics games in Brazil, the drawing board was new.
The board was fresh with ideas and every Ugandan had hope.
The broad smiles of the head of state, Federation heads. Everything seemed awe-inspiring.
A few days into the competitions, the paintings somewhat purposed to be fake tan.
From Jamila Lunkuse and Joshua Ekirikubinza’s promising fails to Kennedy Katende and Ronald Serugo’s epic slips, the ‘drawing board’ clearly needed more delineation.
Boxer Kennedy Katende was knocked out by Britain’s Josua Buatsi at the Round of 32, Rio 2016
Even though Halima Nakaayi, Ronald Musagala and Solomon Mutai followed the script, something surely wasn’t colored with the right pastel.
Ronald Musagala came close to the holy grail, but the ‘drawing board’ malfunctioned
Who invented the ‘drawing board’ anyway?
We are going to go back to the drawing board and look at venturing into new sports like javelin which we had ignored.
Uganda’s State Minister for Sports Charles Bakkabulindi told Daily Monitor – talking up performance in Brazil on Tuesday.
He was addressing bored journalists at the official launch the All-Africa Pool Championships (AAPC).
“That’s what we call going back on the drawing board,” he further stressed.
Has it ever been used anyway? Yes!
Stephen Kiprotich and Dorcus Inzikuru’s exploits on the international stage.
Stephen Kiprotich relentlessly gave his all for a medal at the 2012 London Olympics
The Daily Mail on 12th August 2012 described the former’s victory as “a surprise Olympic medal in the marathon on The Wall.”
New York Times called him “A Young Ugandan” who SURPRISED “the Field and Himself”. Was the board really at work?
Ohh!
Perhaps, the board then, was mythical next to magical!
It was the nation’s second in Olympic history, 40 years after John Akii-Bua won the 400-meter hurdles at the 1972 Munich Olympics.
“I didn’t believe I could win. I just said, ‘Let me go’,” emotional Kiprotich spoke of his own hard work after the race.
At the 2005 Helsinki World Athletics Championships, Dorcus Inzikuru won Uganda’s first gold at a major international tournament for 33 years.
Dorcus Inzikuru crossed the finish line in pain, as fatigue took its toll on her body in the 3000m Steeplechase finals
May be, the board worked there!
But wait, for close to a golden jubilee of only two strange medals at the Olympics?!
The first artist did not live to witness more Gold.
The second must miss out unless Uganda desires another forty year wait.
