Masindi Army School dominates UPDF schools' athletics competition

Masindi Army Boarding School turned out overwhelming winner of the second edition of the UPDF secondary and polytechnic schools athletics (USPHA) competitions that climaxed over the weekend at Bombo Army School.

The Masindi-based side that competed against 12 other army schools across the country, won all the available 3 trophies, by winning in both boys and girls categories before amassing top points for the overall title.

Azio Milka (13) the youngest athlete in the competition ran 20:08:7 minutes for a gold in girls’ 5,000m and 5:04:0 minutes for another top finish in 1,500m before closing the day with the third gold in 800m in 2:26:4 minutes.

She combined with Elizabeth Apio who also won four gold medals in an overloaded assignment after winning in 5,000m at 17:48:8, 1,500m in 4:58:5, 800m after 2:21:7 and 3,000m at 12:01:09 to hand their school the girls accolade on 222 points.

Sprinter Joshua Bwambale was the Masindi boys’ hero as he also won two sprint gold in 100m crossing the tape on 11.01 seconds before taking home the 200m gold after 23.03 seconds to also propel the boys to the top with 186 points.

Masindi girls were followed by Mbarara Army boarding school that collected 109 points with Gulu Army SS coming third with 87 while in the boys, Airforce Entebbe came second to Masindi with 127 and Gulu Army SS third with 122 points

The dominance in both categories handed Masindi Army the overall title with 408 points, Gulu Army came second with 209 and Airfoce Entebbe in third with 201 while the hosts Bombo Army SS finished in fourth place with 136 points.

The two-day event that attracted 13 army schools and was staged on the theme “Sports for unity, friendship, physical fitness, and health’ was aimed at preparing army schools for better competition in the USSSA schools athletics competition due in July at Teso College Aloet.

The climaxing ceremony was attended among others by the assistant commissioner of physical education MOES Lt Col Charles Ariko and presided over by Chief Joint Staff Formal Education, Sports and Culture (JS-FESC) Brig Gen. Richard Karemire.

Karemire appreciated the army school head teachers and their sports teachers for supporting and grooming the young talents and also promised to keep giving support to the schools while going out for national competitions.

Selected UPDF schools athletics results

Girls                                   Points

Masindi Army                            222

Mbarara Boarding Army           109

Gulu Army SS                             87

Airforce Army SS                        74

Boys                 

Masindi Army                            186

Airforce Army SS                       127

Gulu Army SS                             122

Mbarara Army School               111

Overall

Masindi Army SS                        408

Gulu Army SS                            209

Airforce SS                             201

Bombo Army                              136