Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) has sent a group of 10 junior athletes for this year’s edition of the double Africa U18 and U20 athletics championship that starts April 29 to May 3 in Lusaka, Zambia.

The continent which comprises 4 girls and 6 boys and handled by junior coaches Fred Cherich and Aber Lucy Okumu, were flagged off on Wednesday before departing for Lusaka on Thursday.

The group comprises several Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Associations (USSSA) most decorated athletes in Loice Chekwemoi, Rajab Ibrahim Timu Lomutho, Victor Cherotich, Dan Kibet, and the recent inclusion of Maurine Chebet, among others.

Promising athlete Maureen Chebet for 800m

The budding athletes have what to prove at this stage as many have acquired high-level exposure through international school championships that USSSA has taken part in and in Lusaka, they will be good to go.

The contingent that has been undergoing intensive training in Kapchorwa under the two coaches, will be leaving under the leadership of UAF president Domenic Otucet and other federation officials in Beatrice Ayikoru and Cecilia Anyakoit.

Finacia Chekwemoi

Who are these athletes?

Loice Chekwemoi-Gold (3000m steeplechase)

This will be Chekwemoi’s first competition at continental level but the promising middle distance runner has been at several international competitions before.

This will be Chekwemoi’s first competition in the 3000m steeplechase, having been competing in the 2000m steeplechase and her favourites 1500m.

The Chemanga Seed S.4 student made an unsuccessful attempt at the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia but this came after she had won 3 gold medals in a spell of two years in the International Schools Sports Federation (ISF) championships.

Victor Cherotich will compete in 3000m

She boasts of a gold in the 1500m in the 2021 U15 event in Serbia, a gold in ISF cross-country championship she won in April 2022 in Slovakia and then in the ISF U18 in Normandy, France in May 2022 where she won 2000m steeplechase gold.

She is a sister to Victor Cherotich and like her brother, Chekwemoi is steadily growing into a future prospect for Uganda at senior level.

Chekwemoi will be the sole runner in the U20 category as the rest Chekwemoi Finacia (3000m), Chekwemoi Felister (1500m) and Chekwemoi Brenda (1500m) will compete in the U18 category.

Date of birth-12/12/2006

Place of birth: Kapawu, Kasero, Kasero sub-county, Kween district

School-Chemanga Seed SS

Class-S.4

Parents-Annet Chesagit and Patrick Rotich

Names-Victor Cherotich (3000m)

Loice Chekwemoi

Cherotich is a promising middle and long distance runner, having won his first international juniors gold in 1500m in the 2021 ISF U15 games in Belgrade, Serbia.

This was followed by a double in the 2022 ISF U18 games in Normandy, France where he clocked 8:15.14 in the 3000m for silver before making a run of his life to overtake three opponents on the 100m meter final stretch for a bronze in the competitive 1500m.

He came back to win bronze in 10000m in last year’s FEASSAA games in Arusha, Tanzania, and in Lusaka, he will be competing in 3000m, a prospect of a gold medal here.

He is a brother to Loice Chekwemoi and the two syblings seem to be progressing steadily for more senior accolades in future.

Names-Victor Cherotich

School-Chemanga Seed SS

Age-17

Class-S.4

Place of birth-Kapawu village, Kasero, Kween district

Parents-Patrick Rotich and Annet Chesagit

Rajab Ibrahim Lomutho (100m and 200m)

Lomutho is the reigning FEASSSA games 100m and 200m champion but in France, he didn’t come to his best though he reached the finals of 100m and 400m. His capabilities were later exhibited in his contribution to Uganda’s bronze in the Medley long relay when he run the fastest of the times in the 400m section.

Kenneth Krop (5000m)

Retaining the FEASSSA 100m and 200m gold medals last year was a statement enough in his endevours to grow through the ranks and become reorganized sprinter on the continent.

He only came short of his expectations in February, when he finished second in both events at the East Africa juniors meet in Dar E Salaama, but he has since set his eyes on this continental showpiece where he has set his targets for an under 11 seconds finish in 100m.

Date of birth-05/09/2004

Place-Lopiida B, Ngoleriet, Bokora, Napak district

School-Standard High School Zzana

Class-S5

Parents-Ibrahim Rajab Lomutho and Asia Ibrahim Aguma

Maurine Chebet (800m)

The promising 800m ace has been out of action since winning a gold medal in the same event at the 2022 ISF U18 games in Normandy, France.

She, like Loice Chekwemoi, made an unsuccessful but promising attempt at last year’s World junior athletics championship in Colombia.

Chebet showed a great composure for a future great when she run 2:09:56 to beat India’s Sandilea Vino (2:10:99) and compatriot Priscilla Akello (2:11:30) to win the ISF U18 golf in Normandy.

Her inclusion on the team replacing Brenda Chekwemoi, another 800m ISF U15 Belgrade star, came at the last minute following a technical change that needed her on the team. She will bring home an accolade.

Name-Maurine Chebet

Date of birth-24/06/2005

Place of birth-Tulwo village, Kwosir subcounty

District-Kween

School-Chemwania High School

Class-S.2

Parents-Stephen Kuko and Betty Chemusto

Omara Raymond (800m)

Omara holds several medals in different athletics meets in Kitgum. The 800m star also boasts of an ISF bronze after running the last 800m part of the medley relay that saw Uganda finish 3rd for bronze.

Date of birth-18/12/2006

Place of birth-Kampala

Home district-Kitgum

School-Luigi guissiani

Class-S4

Parents-Damali Susan and Charles Okee

Name-Finacia Chekwemboi

Date of birth-22/11/2006

District-Kween

School-Chemwania High School

Class-S.1

Parents-Benson Kiprop and Christine Chemutai

Name: Kenneth Kiprop

Date of Birth:13/05/2005

Place of Birth: Sabu village, Tukut Sub-county

District-Kween

School-Chemwania High School

Class-S.3

Parents-John Chemayek and Irene Chemayek

Name-Gideon Rotich

Date of Birth-05/12/2004

Place of birth-Koroshontet village, Sinentet sub-county

District-Bukwo

School-Amanang SS

Class-S.4

Parents-Joel Kipsang and Joan Kipsang

Names-Dan Kibet

Date of birth-10/02/2004

Place of birth-Sukut village, Kitowoi subcounty

District-Kween

School-Chemanga Seed School

Class-S.4

Parents-Michael Chebet  and Patricia Yeko