Uganda's historic rafting gold credited to science, preparation and determination

Uganda's historic gold medal performance at the 2026 World Rafting Cup and African Rafting Championships has been credited to better preparation, the use of sports science, and the determination of athletes who rose from recreational rafting on the River Nile to competing against the world's best.

The championships were held in Sagana, Kenya, from July 5 to 12, with the opening ceremony on Wednesday before the main races from Friday to Sunday.

Uganda went into only its second international sports rafting event as underdogs after debuting at last year's African Championships, where the team won only silver in the Downriver race and missed medals in Sprint, RX and Slalom.

This time, Uganda returned home with a Mixed RX gold medal, while the men's team finished second in Africa and fifth overall at the World Cup. The women's team placed third in Africa and fifth overall.

Water Rafting Association of Uganda chairman Thomas Malikisi, who also captained the team, said the athletes' commitment made the difference. "Every team member gave their all without holding back. We knew we were competing against the best countries, so we pushed ourselves even harder during training," Malikisi said.

He said bringing in sports scientists from Makerere University transformed the team's preparations. "They introduced athlete conditioning, performance monitoring, sports biomechanics, nutrition, injury prevention and elite athlete management. Their expertise pushed our athletes to perform much better," he said.

Malikisi praised athletes who started as recreational rafters on the River Nile before mastering competitive techniques. "I am proud of how they learnt difficult techniques like hooking the raft to make quick turns. Their years on the Nile finally paid off and they are now continental champions," he added.

Uganda competed against established rafting nations including Italy, Japan, Russia, the Czech Republic, Kenya, Morocco and Zimbabwe. "Hearing our national anthem after winning gold was unforgettable. It felt like planting the Ugandan flag on the moon," Malikisi said.

He believes Uganda can become one of the world's top rafting nations if the sport receives more support. "Uganda has talented athletes. With proper investment, we can become the world's best, just as Kenya rose after receiving government support," he noted.

Malikisi said rafting remains expensive, with one competition raft costing about Sh23 million. He also cited limited sponsorship, a shortage of trained officials and legal registration challenges because the sport can only be held on suitable rivers. "We need more sponsors and technical personnel. During the World Cup, we only managed to sponsor one Ugandan to qualify as an international rafting judge," he explained.

The association also plans to introduce para rafting to increase inclusion and improve Uganda's chances at international competitions. "Countries with para rafting teams earn more points. We hope to start the programme after the athletes complete their recovery," he said.

Malikisi also revealed that delegates from the African Rafting Council and the United Rafting Federation are expected in Uganda next year to inspect facilities for a possible continental or world championship. "We want to host major events and organise more national competitions. With the right support, Uganda can become a consistent world powerhouse," he said.

Uganda's 21-member team was coached by Ismail Asiimwe, with Winfred Nakazibwe leading the sports science team. The Mixed RX gold medal was won by Candice Nabafu, Ashirafu Muwaya, Carol Murungi and James Olwodo.

Host nation Kenya won the African men's, women's and para rafting titles, while Italy emerged as the overall World Rafting Cup champion. Uganda's Mixed RX gold, however, was one of the biggest highlights of the championships and underlined the country's growing status in international rafting.