Uganda stars at the World University Cross Country Championships

Uganda continued its impressive performance at the FISU World University Cross Country Championship, with Elisha Yeko winning gold and Solomon Cherotwo taking bronze at this year’s event in Cassino, Italy, on Saturday. 

Yeko, representing Bugema University, won the men’s 10km race with a time of 30:27.00.

He finished ahead of Japan’s Hiromichi Nonaka, who took second place with 30:36.00, and Cherotwo, who came in third at 30:40.00, in the event that attracted 258 student-athletes from 27 countries and all five continents. The race took place over two days of tough competition at the University of Cassino in southern Italy. 

Other Ugandan runners in the race were Henry Mugume, who finished in 31:46.00, and Emmanuel Jacob Chemusto, who finished in 32:10.00, placing 16th and 22nd, respectively.

The Bugema University students have maintained Uganda's tradition of winning medals at this event, following in the footsteps of the then Bishop Stuart University (BSU) year-three law student, Seth Akampa, who also won gold at the same championship in Muscat, Oman, in 2024. Akampa, matched for victory in the 10 km race in 0:29.12, bagged his second career gold in a race that attracted 36 competitors from other countries. 

In the women’s short race, Uganda was represented by Asha Nambogwe Babwona and Juliet Nambogo, who found it too tough. Nambogwe finished 48th, 5:39.00 minutes behind the winning time of 9:49.00, registered by Frenchwoman Clara Entresangle. Nambogo did not finish. 

In the women’s long race, Uganda’s Rachael Cherotich, Patricia Kobuhwezi, and Grace Ayozu were also nowhere near the podium, finishing in 27th, 30th and 33rd positions in times of 38:35.00, 39:13.00, and 39:54.00, respectively, out of 43 competitors. 

Overall, France won three gold medals and one bronze. Clara Entresangle and Oscar Thebaud both finished first in the opening events, the women’s and men’s short races. Spain also performed well on the short distances, winning one silver and two bronze medals as well as finishing first in the men’s final and second in the women’s final. Sky Ellis from Australia (silver, women’s short race) was the only non-European on the short-distance individual podiums. 

Spain and Italy did amazingly well collectively: Spain won the men’s team final and came second in the women’s, while Italy did the opposite, winning the women’s and getting silver in the men's. The bronze medals went to Canada (women’s) and France (men’s).