The new-look at the lake-side Entebbe International Airport has already witnessed high profile personalities from the recently held 18th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit conference held in Uganda.
On Monday, 18th March 2024, it was the opportunity for the newly crowned African cycling champion, Charles Kagimu, aboard Ethiopian Airlines.
Kagimu, Uganda’s first ever cycling African champion, flanked by the members of Uganda cycling team returned home from the 13th African Games in Accra city, Ghana.
Officials from Uganda Cycling Association (UCA) led by the veteran president Samuel Mahaba “Presida” Muwonge, family members, friends and the media welcomed the delegation from Ghana.
The returning delegation had three people; Kagimu, teammates Lawrence Lorot who finished fifth in the road race and Paul Lomuria who also had a decent outing.
Kagimu clocked 45.32.58 to edge South African Dillon Geary who finished in 45.32.69 by microseconds to claim a historic first.
This medal is a work from God to Uganda. It wasn’t easy at all and took all the energy i had to secure it by microseconds.
Charles Kagimu, Uganda Cyclist
An overwhelmed Muwonge was nearly short of words in his interview with the media.
“Surprisingly, I am now over the ecstasy this medal caused me” Muwonge remarked.
“The pressure now starts because all of a sudden Cycling is going to be considered a go-to sport for medals especially at the coming Olympics where the sport returns after 40 years in limbo” he added.
Kagimu is also the Africa Cycling Association continental individual time trial champion, a feat he attained last year at the very spot of his African Games gold.
“It wasn’t easy for us. We needed big decisions to get this. First of all there was a hullabaloo on whom to choose. Two boys and two girls or four girls /four boys” Coach Saka Bukenya noted.
“We then sat and decided to skip the team time trial which was happening just a day to the individual time trial in which we have Kagimu as continental champion and Lorot with the junior silver and is our preffered race” explained the team Manager Richard Seninde.
Seninde applauded the government but like Oliver Twist asked for more funding in order to help increase the number of cyclists to enable competition in many events.
The association President Muwonge Mahaba simply wants equipment like competition worthy bikes which are bought in the excess of 100m/-.
(Additional text and photos by John Ssentamu)