Promising long-distance runner Seth Akampa scooped his first international athletics gold medal in the FISU World University cross-country championship held in Muscat, Oman on Sunday.

On a teasing course under sunny and hot conditions in Muscat standing at 30 degrees Celsius, Akampa paced intelligently against the rest of the 41 competitors for the major part of the course before breaking away to finish unchallenged and crossing the tape on 0:29.12 minutes for the precious gold.

He beat his closest challengers Miguel Baidal Marco from Spain and Baptiste Fourmont of Spain, who finished second and thirst on 0:29.23 and 0:29.25 minutes respectively.

Akampa also won gold at AUUS Games at UCU

“I am very happy for this win and it is not only my effort but rather with the help of the coaches, my university administration, and the entire AUUS and UAF. Yes, I prepared well for this competition and had all it would take to win, but the power of the almighty took me all the way. I promise to keep working hard for the best results in the coming competitions,” Is all the jovial Akampa could say.

“God can never disappoint. Am happy for what I have got in Oman. And I know the country requires a lot from me that I will work hard to deliver,”

Akampa who is a 3rd-year law student at Bishop Stuart University (BSU) Mbarara, was part of the UAF regional training camp for the southwestern region in Kabale in January and took part in the UAF National Cross Country Championship in Tororo before he and his team Uganda flew out to Oman, which his coach Gordon Ahimbisibwe has attributed to his success.

“According to the training we did and his level of fitness, I expected him to win. I am so happy for him to win this championship because when you train hard enough and don't win it is discouraging. The UAF holiday training camp helped him a lot and even after the closure of the camp, he continued training hard to make sure he achieved his mission,” Ahimbisibwe said.

Akampa during training

Marvarous Orishaba of Ndejje University who was also on the team and ran the women’s short course, came 5th on 0:09.22 minutes in a race won by South Africa’s Simonay Weitsz on 0:09.14 with Spain’s Spanish Marta Serrano Azpiazu coming second ahead of Bethan Morley of UK and NI who came second and third after clocking 0:09.17 and 0:09.18 respectively of the 32 athletes that competed.

Barnabas Mugume another team Uganda runner from Kabale University finished 16th in the men’s short course after finishing in 0:08.26 minutes with his compatriot Peter Akemkwene of Ndejje University finishing 20th in 0:08.37 minutes of 36 competitors, in a race won by Keanu Cameron of South Africa who crossed the tape after 0:07.58 minutes.

Akampa now joins the likes of Ugandans Dismus Ayeko and Joshua Cheptegei on the list of Ugandans to have won the type of gold.