Inzzi off to London

 

 

Former World and Commonwealth champion Dorcus Inzikuru is one of several stars expected in London today ahead of the start of the track and field programme Friday at the Olympics.

 

It will be the first time Inzikuru returns to the big stage after nearly four years in which she became a mother and struggled to regain her fitness. She qualified  with the 12th best time in the world this season last month after winning a 3,000m race at the 6th Edition of the International Athletics Bottrop Gala in Germany.

 

In the race in Germany, Inzikuru recorded a time of 9:30.95 ahead of Kenya's Almaz Ayana.

 

" I am confident but Ugandans should pray very hard for me," she said on phone minutes before she boarded a British Airways flight to London. British Airways, Vision Group, Stanbic Bank and Umeme are Team Uganda's official sponsors.

 

Also on board the flight is Commonwealth and African champion Moses Kipsiro (5000m & 10000m0. Others are Abraham Kiplimo (1,000), Geoffrey Kusuro (5000m), Jane Suuto (Marathon) and coach Gordon Ahimbisbwe. Janat Achola(1500m) comes on  August 3 and Stephen Kiprotich (Marathon) on 7th .

 

Meanwhile, Jacob Araptany yesterday pulled out of the 1,500m, and will run the 3,000m steeplechase only.

 

“The time for the two races were close to each other so we consulted and decided to pull out of the 1,500m,” national coach Faustino Kiwa  confirmed.

“We opted for the steeplechase because Araptany has got stronger with each race,” Kiwa added.

Araptany, Benjamin Kiplagat (steeplechase) and Thomas Ayeko(10,000m) arrived yesterday.  They will join US-based 800m runner Julius Mutekanga who came last week.

 

While Kenyans are a dominant force in the steeplechase, Kiplagat, 20, and Araptany 23, are highly ranked going by this year’s times. 

 

Leading the Kenyan charge are veterans Ezekiel Kemboi, the reigning World Champion who has a best time of 8:10.55 this year,  and Brimin Kipruto, the defending Olympic champion whose best time is 8:01.73. 

Araptany 8:14.48 and  Kiplagat 8:17.55 are among the top 50 in the world, while no Ugandan is ranked in the top 100 in the 1,500m.

 

The Track and Field programme starts on Friday. The men’s steeplechase round one, men’s 1,500 heats and women’s 10,000m final will open track and field action at the Olympic stadium.

 

Uganda has a team of 12 athletes. The others are a badminton player Edwin Ekiring, who has been knocked out of the singles, weightlifter Charles Ssekaaya who also fell out yesterday, and swimmers Jamila Lunkuse and Ganzi Mugula who compete tomorrow.