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Veteran Dutch athletics coach Addy Ruiter is optimistic Uganda’s professional running is only getting better with the emergence of the supremely talented Janat Chemusto.  

Over the weekend, Chemusto, 24, simply known as Janat made her professional European debut in Belgium where she beautifully clinched a statement victory over the distance of 800m.  

The lanky soft-spoken female runner trained by Ruiter at the Global Sport Communication Ugandan camp based in Kapchorwa produced a personal best of 2 minutes and 97 microseconds. 

Since the 2014 Youth Commonwealth Games bronze winner’s return to Global Sport Communication late last year (2022), Janat has been unstoppable in most of the races she has performed in both locally and internationally.  

It began with a bronze medal-winning performance while on international duty at the World Islamic Solidarity Games 2022 in Konya, Turkey before claiming gold at the Kampala MTN Marathon.  

On May 13, 2023, Janat was entered into a fierce start list at the coveted Kip Keino Classic World Athletics Continental Tour in Nairobi Kenya.  

The Ugandan stylishly ran away with glory in a seven-second personal best –an almost unheard-of one-race improvement at this level of the sport.  

The Kapchorwa-born clocked 4:01.79 to become Uganda’s fastest female athlete in 1500m only second to national record holder, Winnie Nanyondo (3:59.56).  

In her last four competitions, Janat has finished within the medal bracket as many times, scooping gold on three occasions (Kampala, Belgium and Nairobi) and one bronze (Konya, Turkey).  

Ruiter’s contribution is all but telling in Janat’s progress and to secure the continuity of his athlete, the Dutchman and Global Sport Management are now venturing into European events to help Janat strengthen her global confidence levels.  

“Janat is running these races in Europe to learn. Before the Belgium victory, she had never competed on track in Europe,” Ruiter said of Janat’s European victory on May 29.  

Ruiter continued: “2023 will be the year of learning and getting more experience (for Janat). Starting and positioning at this level is not easy.”  

Coach Addy Ruiter and his deputy Denis Okiror. (All Photos by Javier Silas Omagor)

Having already qualified for World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest, Hungary, Janat is keenly watched as a prime female medal hopeful for team Uganda.  

Ultimately, Janat and company will have to be in the best shape possible to match or get closer to the level their male counterparts including Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo, command internationally. 

Boy lovers are ruining female athletes

“Hopefully, the culture in Uganda will change for female athletes,” Ruiter hoped before stressing, “most girls are getting into early pregnancies and their boyfriends and husbands over-control them, which distorts the training programme, hence individual progress.”  

So as to keep female athletes focused, Ruiter and his management agency require all signed athletes to reside at the camp.  

“All the facilities are there including food, coaching, entertainment, physiotherapy and food. The only thing an athlete does is train, eat and sleep.  

These lover-boys are ruining the future of these athletes that is why these girls shine once and disappear from the scene despite their potential talent.”