President Yoweri Museveni flagged off team Uganda on Friday to the London Olympics on due July 27 – August 12, just less than a week away. And the last half of his reign has seen no medal from the world’s biggest games, something that the 16 athletes are bound to work on. Uganda last reached the podium after Davis Kamoga’s heroics in the men’s 400m final at the Atlanta Games in 1996.
From then, podium finishes have eluded the country and we only boast of six medals in total. Sydney 2000 will have less to be remembered of. Four years later, in Athens, Greece, Boniface Kiprop was close but still far from the men’s 10000m medal bracket. He finished fourth just like Moses Kipsiro in the 5000m at the Bird’s Nest in Beijing 2008.
The China games saw only 86 countries win atleast a medal but Uganda made no show. And now at the XXX Olympiad, it will be up to the flagged off contingent to make ammends although, it is a pile of work to do.
TEAM UGANDA FOR LONDON OLYMPICS
Ganzi Mugula (Swimming) – Captain,
Jamila Lunkuse (Swimming),
Edwin Ekiring (Badminton),
Charles Ssekyaaya (Weightlifting),
Abraham Kiplimo (5000m),
Thomas Ayeko (5000m),
Moses Ndiema Kipsiro (5000m),
Geoffrey Kusuro (5000m),
Dorcus Inzikuru (3000m steeplechase),
Jane Suuto (Marathon),
Stephen Kiprotich (Marathon),
Benjamin Kiplagat (3000m steeplechase),
Jacob Araptany (3000m steeplechase),
Janet Achola (1500m),
Annet Negesa (800m),
Julius Mutekanga (800m)