Overview:
Internationally, Uganda shone during the 2022 ISF World Schools’ Cross-country championship held at the Snow Sports Complex in Slovakia. Uganda won the overall titles for either gender and also took the fair play. Morocco came second (silver) and Spain scooped bronze after finishing third.
In 2022, the Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) is one of those stand-out independent sports bodies that performed beyond the bare-minimum.
Domestically, internal competitions were held amongst the different secondary schools both for in-door and out-door disciplines with ball games I and II held in Gulu and Lira cities respectively.
The national finals of the football competition were hosted by Mvara Secondary School in Arua city, West Nile region.
Competitions aside, Governance issues were managed to the brim with a new leadership of Justus Mugisha taking over from Patrick Okanya in a tranquil democratic environ.
In December, USSSA extended capacity building programs to school teachers, coaches, administrators and selected students with programs co-currently across the entire country.
Central region converged at Kibuli Secondary School, Eastern and North East were at Amus College Bukedea.
Mbarara High School hosted Western and Kitara regions as Northern and West Nile regions pitched camp at Dr Obote College in Lira city.
The capacity building involved athletics, volleyball, basketball, netball, handball, football in the dockets of administration, coaching, refereeing and media.
USSSA worked in close partnership with officials from the various federations and associations of Football (Federation of Uganda Football Associations – FUFA), Athletics (Uganda Athletics Federation), Handball (Uganda Handball Association), Netball (Uganda Netball Federation) and Basketball (Federation of Uganda Basketball Association – FUBA).
These capacity building workshops are due to be extended in January 2023 as they are meant to equip the beneficiaries with the crucial knowledge that will help in the smooth running of the games.
Across the boarder-lines of Uganda, USSSA had the best representation in the 2022 Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association (FEASSSA) Games hosted in Tanzania’s tourist city of Arusha.
Uganda won the overall title during a well contested competition that also had hosts Tanzania, Kenya and Rwanda.
Uganda successfully defended overall title with a total of 18 gold, 10 silver and 13 bronze medals.
Kenya followed suit with 5 gold, 12 silver and 3 bronze. Rwanda has two 2 gold and silver apiece with 4 bronze as the hosts Tanzania managed 1 silver and 5 bronze.
In the same vein, Uganda was outstanding in the U-16 football competition.
Rays of Grace, Paorihner Primary School, Bombo UMEA and Nakirebe schools represented Uganda during the football U-16 championship.
Uganda won both the boys’ and girls’ categories with Rays of Grace and Bombo UMEA winning respectively.
On the continent, Kibuli Secondary School and Mbogo High School Badminton teams won boys and girls respective titles in Rose Hill city, Mauritius.
Internationally, Uganda shone during the 2022 ISF World Schools’ Cross country championship held at the Snow Sports Complex in Slovakia.
Uganda won the overall titles for either gender and also took the fair play. Morocco came second (silver) and Spain scooped bronze after finishing third.
The athletes who represented Uganda were Vicky Chekwemboi, Edith Chebet, Financia Chepkwemoi, Priscilla Akello, Dolphin Chelimo, Maureen Chebet, Abel Chebet, Godwin Yeko, Solomon Cherotwo, Fred Kiptoo, Dominic Naido Krop and Loice Chekwemoi.
Uganda was also outstanding at the 2022 ISF Games in Normandy city, France with representation in Athletics, Badminton, Table Tennis, Swimming and Basketball (3X3 version).
In France, Uganda collected a total of 7 medals, all from athletics.
At the 2022 ISF Games, a total of 20 sports disciplines were played with 63 countries attending.
There were two gold medals, one silver and four bronze medals at the Stade Helitas, Caen city.
The first of these seven medals came from Victor Cherotich in the 3000m race.
Cherotich who won two medals also added the 1500m bronze medal to his personal collection.
Loice Chepkwemoi clinched gold in the 2000m steeple chase race and Maureen Chebet deservedly earned gold in the 800m race.
Uganda returned to the podium with another bronze by Dolphine Chelimo in the 2000m steeple chase boys under rainy and windy weather conditions.
The final medal fetch was bronze for the boys’ medley long relay.
The four-man relay team had Fred Ambayo, Rajab Limuuto Tiimu, Dominic Naido Krop and Raymond Omara.
Ambayo opened the way with 200m, Rajab ran 400m, Krop followed with 600m and Omara ended the race with 800m.
Brazil won this fast medley long relay with gold and Chinese Taipei.
2023 knocking:
A lot is in stock ahead of 2023, with several local, regional, continental and international competitions comings up.
The USSSA ball games are ear-marked to be hosted in Western Uganda.
