Ugandan bags six medals at the Dubai World Para Athletics Grand Prix

Uganda’s para athletes delivered a commendable performance at the Dubai World Para Athletics Grand Prix, clinching three silver and two bronze medals at the prestigious event in the United Arab Emirates.

Ilalo Monica secured Uganda’s first silver medal in the women’s 1500m shortly after being classified in the T13 category.

Making her international comeback after a six-year break, she finished second in 5:50.03 behind Kenya’s Nancy Koech Chelang, with India’s Tabres Khan taking bronze. Monica later added a bronze medal in the women’s 400m T13 race.

Anzoa Anna Harriet throws her seasonal best

Daniel Opio, competing in his international debut, claimed silver in the men’s T11/12 1500m final after mounting a strong challenge in the closing stages but falling short against an experienced Kenyan rival.

Uganda’s third silver came in the field events, with team captain Anna Anzoa Harriet producing a personal best throw of 30.77 metres in the women’s F46 javelin.

Sprinter Prisca Aciro bounced back from a fifth-place finish in the 100m to secure double bronze in the 200m and 400m. She clocked 29.11 seconds in the 200m before returning on the final day to finish third in the 400m with 1:07.73.

In other performances, Brian Rubangakene and Daniel Onega finished fourth and sixth respectively in the men’s 400m T47, while Jimmy Innocent placed fifth in the men’s 100m T11. In the men’s 400m wheelchair T54, Tunisia’s Gharbi Yassine took gold, with Uganda’s Richard Ocira finishing 10th overall.
Classification Milestone

Beyond the medals, the championship marked an important milestone for three Ugandan visually impaired athletes, Jimmy Innocent (T11), Daniel Opio (T12), and Ilalo Monica (T13), who were successfully classified and are now eligible to compete in International Paralympic Committee (IPC) sanctioned events. Innocent and Opio will undergo classification review after four years, while Monica’s status will be reviewed in two years.

Praise for the Team

Team coach Vincent Mutagubya praised the athletes for their determination, especially the debutants.

“They have tried to put out their best performances. Our mission was to ensure everyone gets a class, and this is a good build-up for the upcoming events,” Mutagubya said.

Synole Patrick, Director of Administration at the Uganda Paralympic Committee, expressed satisfaction with the progress.

“We have achieved our objective of giving new athletes the opportunity to gain international classification and exposure, expanding our pool of athletes targeting qualification for the LA 2028 Paralympic Games,” he noted.

He added that the performances of debutants Jimmy Innocent, Brian Rubangakene, Daniel Opio, and Onega Rwothomiyo signal a promising future for Ugandan para sport.

“Competing against seasoned athletes, they showed determination and resilience. The exposure and experience gained here will be invaluable as we prepare for future competitions,” he emphasized.