Big money awaits Ugandan athletes at World Road Running Championships

Ugandan athletes will be chasing more than medals when they line up at the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark, on September 19–20, with substantial prize money at stake across the three events.

The championships will feature the half marathon, 5km, and one-mile races, giving athletes an opportunity to compete for both global honours and significant financial rewards.

Athletes competing in the half marathon (21km) will be battling for a top prize of USD 30,000 (about Shs 111.7 million), while winners of the 5km and one-mile races will each take home USD 10,000 (about Shs 37.2 million).

The financial incentive is even greater for athletes capable of producing a world-record performance. A USD 50,000 (about Shs 186.2 million) bonus will be awarded to any athlete who breaks a world record during the championships.

For Uganda, the competition also provides an opportunity to build on its history at the event.

Jacob Kiplimo remains Uganda's only medalist at the World Athletics Road Running Championships. Kiplimo won the men's half marathon at the 2020 championships in Gdynia, Poland, marking Uganda's biggest achievement at the event.

The most recent edition was held in 2023 in Riga, Latvia, where Kenya's Sebastian Sawe won the men's half marathon title.

Uganda's athletes will therefore arrive in Copenhagen with the challenge of matching or surpassing the country's previous performances while also competing for the lucrative rewards on offer.

With the half marathon carrying the biggest individual prize, attention is likely to be focused on Uganda's distance runners, who have traditionally performed strongly on the international stage.

The Copenhagen championships will give Ugandan athletes another opportunity to test themselves against the world's best and potentially return home with both medals and significant financial rewards.

For athletes able to produce an exceptional performance, the world-record bonus could make the championships even more rewarding.

PRIZE MONEY

Half marathon (21km)

1st place: 30,000 dollars (111,749,790 shillings) 

2nd place: 15000dollars (55,874,895shillings 

3rd   Place: 12000 dollars (44,699,916 shillings)

5km

1st place:  10,000 dollars (37,249,930 shillings)

2nd place: 7500 dollars (27,937,447 shillings)

3rd place: 6000 dollars (22,349,958 shillings)

One mile

1st place:   10,000 dollars (37,249,930 shillings)

2nd place: 6000 dollars (22,349,958 shillings)

3rd place: 3500 dollars (13,037,475 shillings)

World record: 50,000 dollars (186,249,650.00shillings)