On Tuesday, August 15, the first contingent of Team Uganda will depart for the Hungarian city of Budapest.  

They will travel to represent the country at the 2023 World Athletics Championships commencing on August 19-27.  

The officially announced 22 athletes are at Trinity Biblical Institute (TBI) Kapchorwa embroiled in the final training sessions before their flights.  

The national athletics coaches, led by Benjamin Njia of Police who doubles as the vice-president of the Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF), oversee the team.   

You might have seen some of the supremely talented athletes who qualified to join the Budapest bound team, already.   

Our reporter has a look at the top performers and most likely medal winners on the team. 

Peruth Chemutai: 

The first and only woman ever to win an Olympics gold medal for Uganda has had a twist and turn buildup to the season after a long injury layoff, but is looking sharp again in training.  

Her coach, Addy Ruiter, expects a performance of high standards and quality in Budapest.   

Chemutai, 22, earned her way to the Hungarian capital via a Wanda Diamond League action in Lausanne at Stade Olympique la Pontaise on Friday, June 30.   

Running in her favorite 3000m steeplechase event under the Swiss evening lights, Chemutai put together a strong race from gun-to-the-finish-line.    

Chemutai registered a seasonal best clock of 9mins, 11 seconds, and 91 microseconds. The Uganda Police Club gifted runner placed third to bring an end to her long-standing qualification wait.  

Halima Nakaayi

Just days ago she shocked the nation when she broke another 800-meter record in Silesia Diamond League in Poland.   

Nakaayi, Gold Coast gold winner, rewrote history after stopping the clock of 1min, 57seconds and 78 microseconds behind Kenya’s Mary Moraa who registered the meeting and season’s best of 1min, 56seconds and 85 microseconds.    

Budapest awaits the sprinter who occasionally likes to test her speed, strength, and endurance standards in major competitions.   

She has won several national and international accolades, but it has been a little long since she collected a major one and Budapest presents an opportunity to break the jinx.   

The Mukono-born Nakaayi has this incredible ability to put together a performance of intent.  

Ahead of last season, Nakaayi made a bold decision to switch coaches after replacing veteran Dutchman Addy Ruiter with legendary Tim Rowberry who coaches superstar Hassan Sifan.   

Prisca Chesang

Highly considered the staunch future of athletics in the women's category, the teenage middle-distance star wants to leave a mark.  

Early this year, the prudently skilled Chesang was handed a promotional debut race in Spain and she stepped up on the plate to claim a bronze in style.  

The 19-year-old crossed the line at 26:33 in 7.6 kilometres during the 10K Valencia Ibercaja 2022 marathon.   

No one makes professional running look as easy as you like than the immensely gifted Prisca who will make her senior debut in the women's 10000m category in Budapest.   

She has been performing well in the juniors, winning back-to-back bronze medals in the last two World Junior championships in Nairobi-Kenya and Cali-Colombia, respectively.   

Oscar Chelimo: 

The 2016 and 2020 medal-less Olympian turned into the world bronze medalist in the last edition of World Athletics Champs in Oregon. Chelimo is plotting big ahead of August.  

Chelimo who specialises in the 5000m distance is a decent professional who will be looking to combine his strength and speedy capabilities in Budapest to attempt glory again.   

Rodgers Kibet: 

Always looks dedicated to his profession and must be relishing an opportunity to shine.   

Last year, the 19-year-old managed to claim a bronze medal in the 10.8-kilometer marathon in Valencia, Spain.  

Most recently he was camping in Europe for a month to gain experience and put in final touches to his game courtesy of Global Sports Communication (GSC), his management agency.  

Many including the current minister of Sports Peter Ogwang rate Kibet as a force to reckon with in 10,000m in Budapest.   

He is a promising young star who wants to toil and succeed and that success for him could start in the Hungarian capital. He’s Joshua Cheptegei’s training mate under coach Addy Ruiter.  

In his pre-championship thoughts, Ruiter expects Kibet “to gain as much experience of running at that level.”  

Jacob Kiplimo: 

Kiplimo is currently the most in-form Ugandan athlete by a mile. Only once has an athlete outrun the 22-year-old in the last seven major world competitive races he has taken part in.

That lone athlete is the Ethiopian Hagos Gebrhiwet at the Monaco Diamond League.

In Budapest, Kiplimo is considered Uganda’s obvious medal hopeful given his current form.   

The reigning World-Cross country champion is the world half marathon champion and record holder as well as double gold Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games winner in both 5000m and 10000m.   

Kiplimo is the current 10000m world champion's bronze medalist. 

As always, he was among the first athletes to report to the national training camp – TBI Kapchorwa, and has been committedly embroiled in his drills.   

Kiplimo will represent Uganda both in 5000m and 10000m where he is the current bronze medalist having finished last edition behind compatriot Joshua Cheptegei and Kenya’s Stanley Mburu.   

Joshua Cheptegei: 

The 26-year-old will captain the national team in a major competition for the third time in a row having done that at the Oregon World Champs 2022 and Australia World Cross-country champs 2023.   

The Uganda Police Club star is the World-back-back champion over the 10000m distance. Cheptegei is also the world record holder in both 5000m (12:35.36) and 10000m (26:11.00), respectively.   

The team captain looks in good shape according to his coach Ruiter.   

The skillful Cheptegei announced that he will be on an exit track for a marathon and that means that Budapest could mark his last World Champs appearance and what better way than making sure that it is on a high note?   

His last competitive race was at the Lausanne Diamond League (5000m) where he impressively finished second after a clocked of 12:41.61.    

Winnie Nanyondo: 

The Uganda world life ranger’s prowess, agility, and awareness of her surroundings on the track are unmatched.  

Nanyondo is the national record holder in her favorite middle-distance 1500m event. With Janat Chemusto ruled out of this one with an injury and suspected doping-related suspension, Nanyondo has it all to do.  

Sarah Chelangat: 

2018 Olympics double youth gold winner and the reigning champion of Kampala Half Marathon 2021, probably trains the most. 

Since she recovered from an injury that frustrated her Olympics Games 2020 in Tokyo, Chelangat has dived deep into her training program. 

Given all her troubles, no female athlete won more domestic races than the 21-year-old in the injury-riddled 2021. 

She extended that run of form to a greater part of 2022 before a slight dip in form.  

But the resilient Chelangat bounced back stronger in 2023 where she has been able to break the national record twice besides producing quality performances.  

Everything Chelangat touches right now turns to gold. Budapest, are you ready to turn into a golden city? 

Victor Kiplangat: 

Remember him? The reigning Commonwealth Games marathon gold winner. Kiplangat is Uganda’s only marathon gold winner in history.  

He is the step-brother to the World Half marathon reigning champion and record holder, Jacob Kiplimo. 

Kiplangat’s ability to transform his pace from a slow start into lightning speed in the same race is special though he can also start and finish as strong as you like.  

Kiplangat is probably the most primed Ugandan medal hopeful in this event.  

Kiplangat took some time off to recover from his Birmingham action before returning to take part in the Manchester event.   

Kiplangat who had experienced visa delays, arrived in Manchester on the eve of the competition only to pull his hamstring after the 5km mark.  

Eventually, Kiplangat, who is yet to finish outside the top four in the full marathon, placed 11th at the Greater Manchester 10K Run.  

Knowing that in Budapest there will not be room for error, the Global Sports Communication runner who turns out for the Police club has been embroiled in tense training.   

According to coach Ruiter, “Kiplangat is very okay and daring to go”.     

Both Kiplangat and Kissa are Uganda’s current fastest marathoners.   

They will be joined by Andrew Kwemboi of Rosa Associati International Management Agency, who is the World Cross Country champion, Jacob Kiplimo’s training patterner.   

Mercyline Chelangat: 

Her training performances have been above and beyond expectations. The 2018 Commonwealth Games bronze winner heads into the championship with a very good state of mind and fitness levels. 

Chelangat, 25, impressed in her marathon debut that came two months ago in the Netherlands.   

Chelangat, an Inspector of the Uganda Police Force, lined up in the women’s elite field at the Enschede Marathon over the 42-kilometer distance in her debut to win a silver medal.  

The police officer came home with a clock of 2:24.12 (One hour, twenty-four minutes and twelve seconds) just behind the eventual winner Shyline Teroitich of Kenya who cruised at 2hrs:22mins.   

Rebecca Cheptegei:

 The UPDF club icon qualified for Budapest via Abu Dhabi Marathon in December 2022 where she cruised at 2hrs:22 mins.47 seconds.   

Like Chelangat, Cheptegei has also decided to move up the distance to the 42-kilometre event having made her name in the middle and long-distance events.   

The third female marathoner for team Uganda, Doreen Chesang, sailed through with the clock at 2hrs:26 mins.31 seconds. 

Other members  

Stephen Kisa – National Marathon record holder  

Andrew Kwemboi – Belgium marathon winner 2022  

Doreen Chesang – Marathon  

Tarsis Orogot (200m)  

Tom Dradiga – 800m 

Leonard Chemutai - 3000m steeplechase

Abu Mayanja – 1500m  

Stella Chesang – 10000m  

 Joel Ayeko – 10000m