Birungi invited for Nairobi meeting

By Reuben Olita in NairobiTHREE Ugandan top runners are among a galaxy of 33 African stars invited for an Africa permit meeting here on May 18.Grace Birungi will lead Uganda’s challenge in the women's 800 metres, Justin Bayiga will feature in the women’s 400m while Pascal Owuor will battle it out in the men’s 800m.The event, which was last held in 1996, is sponsored by African Athletics Confederation (AAC) and organised by the Kenya Amateur Athletic Association (KAAA).Veteran world and Olympic 800m champion, Maria Mutola of Mozambique, is among the big names expected to give the meet glamour where individual winners will get US$1500, runners up $1,000 and third placed will carry $500.Other big names expected are former world 200m champions, Frankie Fredricks of Namibia and Aminata Diouf of Senegal.Mutola will participate in her 800m speciality together with Rikke Roenholt of Denmark, Birungi, Lwisa John of Tanzania and Amina Ait Hamou of Morocco.Bayiga will battle it out in the 400m with Diouf and Hortense Bewouda among others. Ends