Overview:
The long-distance runners Jacob Kiplimo and Joshua Cheptegei were named the Sports Personality for 2022 and 2021 respectively.
After two years without the occurrence of the biggest sports awards, the USPA Awards Gala was held in a glamorous event at the Imperial Royale Hotel, Kampala on Saturday evening.
The Uganda Sports Press Association (USPA) Awards Gala was organized to celebrate the best sports personalities in 2021 and 2022.
The Janzi Band and celebrated artist Winnie Nwangi entertained the guests with thrilling live performances.
The long-distance runners Jacob Kiplimo and Joshua Cheptegei were named the Sports Personality for 2022 and 2021 respectively.
To go away with the award, Kiplimo beat competition from fellow long-distance runner and stepbrother Victor Kiplangat, golfer Ronald Rugumayo and Black Peal’s rugby player Charlotte Mudola.
In 2022, he won bronze in the 10000m finishing at the Oregon World Athletics Championships in Eugene, USA before taking it a notch higher by grabbing the 5000m and 10000m double at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in England.
Upon the announcement, Kiplimo expressed his gratitude to everyone who has been part of the journey to reach the grand stage.
“I would like to thank the federation, fellow athletes and coaches who have done a great job to see that I can achieve all this,” Kiplimo said in a video message.
“I am not able to physically attend the Awards ceremony since I am out of the country with a fixed program. I am so grateful to win this accolade. I am steadily recovering from an injury as I seek to get back to my better days.”
Arguably the greatest athlete of all time Cheptegei won the 5000m gold and 10000m silver medals in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in Japan.
To win the two big medals, Cheptegei posted 12:58:15 for the gold and 27:43:63 for the silver. On top of the big award, he also won the Men’s Athlete of the Year (2021).
Cheptegei underlined how he was glad to win the great prize for the third time before acknowledging everyone who had voted for him.
“I am very happy and excited to be announced as the Sports Personality of the Year 2021. It’s the third time and I thank everyone who voted [for] me. I thank the USPA for supporting and growing sports in the country.”
Old is Gold
USPA founding President Fred Ssekitto was given the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ in recognition of the hard work and resilience that was bestowed to see the birth of the association.
“We took a bold decision to start an independent association apart from UJA (Uganda Journalists Association),” he told the congregation that was on their feet with a round of applause.
He later gave the current governing executive the association flag that had stayed 41 years before he added that they should stand firm knowing his trust and support lies with them.
“It is not going to be smooth sailing but we are all behind you,” he concluded.
