120 elite athletes set to shine at 23rd Akii Bua Memorial Championships

Over 120 elite professional athletes are set to light up the 23rd edition of the Akii Bua Memorial Athletics Championships, scheduled to take place next month at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole.

Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) President Dominic Otucet made the announcement on Tuesday during a media briefing at the federation's headquarters in Kampala.

Otucet revealed that out of the 145 registered participants, 120 are elite runners—both national and international. Of these, 36 are women, with the rest being male competitors. The international contingent includes athletes from South Sudan, Eritrea, and neighboring Kenya.

“We have a packed program running from morning until evening, but the afternoon session promises to be especially exciting and entertaining,” said Otucet.

He added that some of the top athletes on the continent have been invited to compete, setting the stage for thrilling showdowns. Among the headline races is the women’s 800m, where Kenya’s Sarah Moraa and Ethiopia’s Saida Ageze Tsehayo will challenge Uganda’s Halima Nakaayi.

In the women’s 5000m, Kenya’s Dorcus Ndiema and Molla Hagos will face off against Uganda’s Risper Cherop, Esther Chebet, and Charity Cherop.

The championship, classified under the bronze category of World Athletics-ranked competitions, carries a total prize purse of USD 50,000 (approximately sh182 million). Winners of each race will take home USD 1,600 (sh5.8 million), with second and third place earning USD 1,000 (sh3.6 million) and USD 800 (sh2.9 million) respectively.

The day’s events will kick off with a mass run in the morning, followed by a children’s race. The afternoon will feature a vibrant mix of national, international, and corporate fun races.

Importantly, the Akii Bua Memorial will also serve as a qualifier for major international events, including the World Championships, Commonwealth Games, and the CAA U20 Championships in Nigeria.