Otim bags bronze at the Commonwealth Rowing Beach Sprints in Barbados

Uganda will not be short of a representative in rowing at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics after a three-man Ugandan team impressed at the Commonwealth Rowing Association Beach Sprints in Bridgetown, Barbados, November 21-23.

Ugandan youngster Marcel Otim, who in August made his international debut by representing the country at the 2025 World Rowing Under 19 Championships in Trakai, Lithuania, bagged a bronze in the Junior Male Solo race, while Elijah Namunyu and Kathleen Noble combined for a quarterfinal finish in the mixed doubles.

The Ugandan team also placed tenth out of 14 teams in the team relay event.

Otim clocked 3:12.969 to finish third for the bronze behind Canadian Oliver Brennan (2:54.226) and Barbados’ Theodore Spieler (3:05.826), who won the gold and silver, respectively.

On his part, Namunyu placed ninth in the Men’s Solo Time Trial race in 2:59.140, while his partnership with Noble in the mixed doubles raked an 8th-place finish in 2:45.443.

Kathleen Noble (left) and Elijah Namunyu in action during the Commonwealth Rowing Association Beach Sprints in Bridgetown, Barbados. Credit: CJ Taylor/Swift Racing

According to the national team coach Batenga Nakisozi, they are preparing Namunyu for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, while Otim is being readied for the Youth Olympic Games and Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.

She said Noble, who retired after the Paris Olympics, participated because she is intentional about mentoring and supporting athletes with high potential to succeed in this sport for Uganda.

According to the national team coach Batenga Nakisozi, they are preparing Namunyu for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, while Otim is being readied for the Youth Olympic Games and Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. She said Noble, who retired after the Paris Olympics, participated because she is intentional about mentoring and supporting athletes with high potential to succeed in this sport for Uganda.

Namunyu is a rising Ugandan rower with strong performances across regional competitions. Known for his discipline, power, and resilience, he continues to establish himself as one of Uganda’s standout developing athletes. He is steadily gaining valuable international exposure as he builds toward future major events according to Batenga.

“Competing at this event has been a learning experience for me. Making the switch from club rowing to beach running was really challenging but also rewarding. My team and all those supporting us made the process much easier and helped us transition to the new sport, making learning and competing very enjoyable. I’m also very grateful to compete under the Commonwealth Rowing Association, and I hope we can continue competing with them in the future,” Otim stated.

‘The competition was good, I had fun, and we performed well. I tried to do what I know best and discovered that I’m really capable. But I faced new opponents, kept believing in myself, and performed to the best of my ability. I need to continue working hard and working on my technique as well as improve my diet because I realized we can beat our opponents,” Namunyu noted.

“This was my first time competing in Beach Sprints, and it was quite different. I enjoyed the running and dynamic elements; getting in and out of the boat was definitely challenging. The boat is a bit heavier, and the conditions are less controlled, so it is different from classic rowing, particularly because the boat is heavier, and making the turns was also challenging, and I need a lot of practice to improve that, but I really enjoyed the venue; it was fun in addition to the running component, and I learned that you have to work as a team, including with your boat handlers, and I enjoyed that element as well,” Noble stated.