Athletics coach Gordon Ahimbisibwe, has expressed optimism the athletes from South Western Uganda will keep growing into a competitive team, after showing signs of potential in the just ended national cross-country championship in Tororo.

The South Western team of 13 athletes was part of the event that attracted hundreds of competitors from different clubs, schools and regions and run in different categories of men and women separated by age.

The team of 6 females and 7 males, had been selected from the UAF regional athletics camp that had climaxed at the end of January after three weeks of grooming.

And from how they performed at the highly competitive national event, their coach Ahimbisibwe nodded for a good future.

“I am happy that our athletes performed the way they did especially on the fact that this was their first time they are taking part in a national competition that brings all star around.

Their performance gives me a hope and belief that the future is bright for them,” Ahimbisibwe said.

Ahimbisibwe is thankful of UAF for helping to facilitate the January training where they were able to select a team to Tororo and also the Kigezi community for the support.

The selection of the 13 from the 30 was made even with a UAF letter communicating that the federation was unable to sponsor, transport, accommodate and feed them in Tororo.

However, camp coordinator Charles Karuma connected with Dr Peter Ngategize and other individuals and institutions like Centenary Bank, Voice of Kigezi and Cephas Inn and mobilized the required facilitation to enable the athletes and their coaches go to Tororo.

In fact, Ngategize went beyond financial support and availed to the athletes his home in Nyabushabi as accommodation and training ground for the days they trained prior to the departure for Tororo.

On the competition proper, 5 female athletes competed in the Junior women 6km challenge with Bacia Brenda starring with a 23rd position finish on 22:52.7 minutes while Claire Owembabazi (38th on 25:08.8), Bridget Tibinganisa (39th on 25:51.6), Bridget Niwasiima (40th on 26:29.0) and Meron Gumoshabe finished 41st on 26:29.9 of the 53 athletes that took part where Kezia Chebet of JOCDEF came top after clocking 20:22.6

Patricia Kobuhwezi took part in the senior women 10km race and managed to complete in 32nd and last on 45:30.1 minutes, a race that saw 11 entrants fail to finish.

The senior men’s 10km challenge came with Lous Nuwagira finishing 33rd on 31:30.2 as the best performer of the team with Edson Katureebe finishing 51st on 33:22.4, Ambrose Turinawe following in 61st position on 34:29.5 while Nicholas Mwebaze followed in 62nd position on 34:34.0 before Alex Mwebaze crossed in 65th position on 35:10:6 and Ninney Atwine last in 73rd on 38:08.5 in a race won by star Jacob Kiprimo

Seth Akampa and Barnabas Mugume, who both chose to run a short 2km race ahead of the FISU world university cross country championship in Oman due this weekend, finished 5th and 24th respectively of the 52 runners in contention.

Akampa took a 5:33.2 minutes finish while Mugume came home at 5:55.4 in a close contest won by Krop Dominic Naido of Uganda Prisons on 5:23.9 minutes.

h Gordon Ahimbisibwe, has expressed optimism the athletes from South Western Uganda will keep growing into a competitive team, after showing signs of potential in the just ended national cross-country championship in Tororo.

The South Western team of 13 athletes was part of the event that attracted hundreds of competitors from different clubs, schools and regions and run in different categories of men and women separated by age.

The team of 6 females and 7 males, had been selected from the UAF regional athletics camp that had climaxed at the end of January after three weeks of grooming.

And from how they performed at the highly competitive national event, their coach Ahimbisibwe nodded for a good future.

“I am happy that our athletes performed the way they did especially on the fact that this was their first time they are taking part in a national competition that brings all star around.

Their performance gives me a hope and belief that the future is bright for them,” Ahimbisibwe said.

Ahimbisibwe is thankful of UAF for helping to facilitate the January training where they were able to select a team to Tororo and also the Kigezi community for the support.

The selection of the 13 from the 30 was made even with a UAF letter communicating that the federation was unable to sponsor, transport, accommodate and feed them in Tororo.

However, camp coordinator Charles Karuma connected with Dr Peter Ngategize and other individuals and institutions like Centenary Bank, Voice of Kigezi and Cephas Inn and mobilized the required facilitation to enable the athletes and their coaches go to Tororo.

In fact, Ngategize went beyond financial support and availed to the athletes his home in Nyabushabi as accommodation and training ground for the days they trained prior to the departure for Tororo.

On the competition proper, 5 female athletes competed in the Junior women 6km challenge with Bacia Brenda starring with a 23rd position finish on 22:52.7 minutes while Claire Owembabazi (38th on 25:08.8), Bridget Tibinganisa (39th on 25:51.6), Bridget Niwasiima (40th on 26:29.0) and Meron Gumoshabe finished 41st on 26:29.9 of the 53 athletes that took part where Kezia Chebet of JOCDEF came top after clocking 20:22.6

Patricia Kobuhwezi took part in the senior women 10km race and managed to complete in 32nd and last on 45:30.1 minutes, a race that saw 11 entrants fail to finish.

The senior men’s 10km challenge came with Lous Nuwagira finishing 33rd on 31:30.2 as the best performer of the team with Edson Katureebe finishing 51st on 33:22.4, Ambrose Turinawe following in 61st position on 34:29.5 while Nicholas Mwebaze followed in 62nd position on 34:34.0 before Alex Mwebaze crossed in 65th position on 35:10:6 and Ninney Atwine last in 73rd on 38:08.5 in a race won by star Jacob Kiprimo

Seth Akampa and Barnabas Mugume, who both chose to run a short 2km race ahead of the FISU world university cross country championship in Oman due this weekend, finished 5th and 24th respectively of the 52 runners in contention.

Akampa took a 5:33.2 minutes finish while Mugume came home at 5:55.4 in a close contest won by Krop Dominic Naido of Uganda Prisons on 5:23.9 minutes.