Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) continues to widen its scope on its main objective of talent identification, nurturing and progressive development.

And the long holiday coming to the new year saw the executive okay an athletics training camp in order to boost the search of talent in the discipline.

The two week camping that was organized at Makerere University and Old Kampala, climaxed on Tuesday with the total of 66 selected promising young athletes from different schools in the country showing good signs of future greatness.

The 48 girls and 18 boys aged 11-18 years, were being handled by experienced coaches Kasim Latigo and Justine Nekesa under the supervision of USSSA 3rd Vice President Harriet Apolot and executive member James Onzima.

While officiating at the closing ceremony, Physical Education and Sports (PES) commissioner Rev Can Duncans Mugumya hailed USSSA for the initiative and asked them to continue the program so as to tap more talents that are there across the country.

Female athletes take to the 400m trial race at the camp closure at Makerere on Tuesday

“Where are the young suckers that will grow when the old ones die? This is the question that one gets to answer when you see these children undergoing this training. I thank you USSSA for this initiative and let it continue. And to you the young athletes, you should continue doing personal training because when you develop your talent the sky is not even the limit,” Said Rev. Can. Duncans Mugumya.

At the closing event, USSSA 1st Vice president Twahil Kitezala who represented the president Justus Mugisha, guaranteed a continued search of youthful talents across the country in all disciplines including athletics.

"Part of our mandate as USSSA is to identify, nurture and develop talent. Here we are, having identified and the next part is nurturing and we shall continue doing this." Kitezala said.

The athletes who were majorly sprinters, were picked from different secondary and primary schools for USSSA sealed a partnership with the primary section for talent identification.

And in the trial races, Sanctuary Reigns starred in the 100m U12 category after coming home on 13:73, beating second placed Janet Atwine who come second on 14:50 with Penina Kisakye finishing third 17 micro seconds after.

The Boys’ U12 category sprint was won by Francis Busingye who finished on 11: 87 seconds while Naric Akampwera come second on 12: 55 seconds.

Vicky Anaku 59:45 seconds to come top of the girls U18 400m race before Anna Mary Kaahwa who finished on 62:22 seconds while Jaliat Nakayo made a third position on 63:34 and the boys category was won by Ernest Onanda who came home on 54:74 beating Rashid Atuyambe that made 59:47 with Afizu Otibaka who finished on 62:37.

Uganda has done well at the International Schools Sports Federation (ISF) competitions, having come top of Africa at the 2021 ISF U15 championship in Belgrade Serbia and in the 2022 U18 edition in Normande, France where team Uganda finished 7th overall after winning the ISF U18 cross-country in Strbske Pleso, Slovakia.