Mukono, Maracha shine as National Kids Athletics Championship ends

The National Kids Athletics and Special Needs Education (SNE) Championship officially concluded on Monday at King George Stadium in Tororo Municipality, drawing the curtain on days of vibrant competition among Uganda's top young athletes.

The closing ceremony was presided over by the State Minister for Primary Education, Joyce Morika Kaducu, who was accompanied by Dr. Kedrace Turyagyenda, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Sports.

In her address, Kaducu applauded all participants for making the journey to Tororo and pledged to lobby for increased funding for the event, citing its steady growth and rising significance on the national school sports calendar.

"This championship is getting bigger every year. We are committed to engaging all relevant stakeholders to ensure it receives the support it deserves," said Kaducu.

Uganda Primary Schools Sports Association (UPSSA) president William Bwambale expressed appreciation to the Tororo community for their hospitality and support, which he said contributed immensely to the championship's success.

"Madam Minister, this year we recorded the biggest number ever of districts that have attended the national kids and SNE athletics championships, which you are witnessing its closure," said Bwambale.

According to Bwambale, the one-week event involved 173 districts, cities, estates, and municipalities, bringing a total of 4,244 athletes and 1,200 participants from across the country.

"Honourable, I want to take this opportunity to thank your office for facilitating the primary school championships whenever we knock at your door. You always come to our rescue. Thank you very much. You released time, and we have introduced central feeding to all athletes participating in nationals, which to us is a success," said Bwambale.

Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Education and Sports, Dr. Kedrace Turyagyenda warned districts that deny children the chance to showcase their talents after receiving grants allocated for talent identification.

In the Special Needs Education categories, Mukono District emerged as the overall winner, dominating in the hearing impairment, visual impairment, and physical impairment categories for boys in the U-12 and U-14 age groups.

Busia District and Agago District shared the physically impaired U-12 and U-14 girls' categories, respectively.

In the mainstream competition, Maracha stood out in the U-12 category, winning both the girls' title and the overall trophy. Koboko Municipality took the U-12 boys' title. In the U-14 group, Pader District claimed the boys' title, while Agago District secured victory in the girls' division. Terego District was crowned overall winner in the U-14 category.

The championship served not only as a platform for talent development but also as a celebration of inclusion, with both mainstream and special needs athletes competing in parallel events.

The championship, which combines mainstream athletics and inclusive events for children with disabilities, is part of Uganda's broader effort to nurture talent at the grassroots level.