Inzzi out
Jun 25, 2007
WORLD 3000m steeplechase defending champion Dorcus Inzikuru will miss next month’s All Africa Games in Algeria as she recuperates from nasal-cleansing treatment.
By James Bakama, Paul Mbuga and Norman Katende
WORLD 3000m steeplechase defending champion Dorcus Inzikuru will miss next month’s All Africa Games in Algeria as she recuperates from nasal-cleansing treatment.
The Arua Gazelle is now also a major doubt for the 11th IAAF World Athletics Championships in Osaka, Japan. Inzikuru did not finish the 35th IAAF World Cross-Country Championships in Mombasa in March, as she struggled with what she termed a “minor allergy.â€
“There was a mis-diagnosis,†revealed Uganda Athletics Federation president Dan Tamwesigire when contacted by The New Vision yesterday.
“We were told it is an allergy, but she was actually suffering from a serious nasal condition. She had a minor operation and is recovering well.â€
Inzikuru’s condition had rendered her incapable of training. She intimated last week that she was adjudged to be suffering from sinuses — a development she blamed on the cold weather in Europe –– but remained optimistic that she would recover.
“She is being monitored closely, and her participation (in the World Championships in Osaka) will depend on her recovery process,†Tamwesigire stressed.
Inzikuru, 25, has not been put on the team submitted for July’s Algiers games and the Osaka championship in August.
“She completed treatment last week and there is no way she could recover in time to take part in these competitions,†explained local athletics federation secretary Beatrice Ayikoru.
Experts at Mulago Hospital are handling her.
In 2005, Inzikuru’s ended Uganda’s 33-year wait for a gold medal at a major championship when she won the inaugural 3000m steeplechase women’s race at the World Championships in Helsinki, racing home in a time of 9:18.24.
At her debut in the 18th Commonwealth Games in Melbourne last year, Inzikuru clinched the steeplechase gold medal in a time of 9:19.51.
Inzikuru’s inability to feature in the All Africa Games and World Championships will come as a major blow both to Uganda’s hopes of securing a gold medal at both events, and Inzikuru’s personal crusade to further her domination of the 3000m-SC.
Preparations for the All Africa Games are being finalised, with government set to spend sh200m on Uganda’s contingent.
The budget covers travel, allowances and accommodation for a delegation of 31 comprising 21 sportsmen and 10 officials.
Acting commissioner for sports Omara Apita explained that government will only finance five athletes, two badminton players, four boxers, two cyclists, two swimmers, two table tennis players and four weightlifters.
Uganda Olympic Committee has offered an additional 10 tickets, of which four will go to athletes who are on Olympic Solidarity programmes.
Boxing, which has won Uganda most medals at the quadrennial games, is one of the disciplines severely affected by government’s limited funding. UABF had initially planned to send a team of seven fighters to the games that are also Olympic qualifiers.
“Our Olympic program has been hit. Government should have at least have considered the effort we have invested in this build-up,†complained UABF’s Sande Musoke.
WORLD 3000m steeplechase defending champion Dorcus Inzikuru will miss next month’s All Africa Games in Algeria as she recuperates from nasal-cleansing treatment.
The Arua Gazelle is now also a major doubt for the 11th IAAF World Athletics Championships in Osaka, Japan. Inzikuru did not finish the 35th IAAF World Cross-Country Championships in Mombasa in March, as she struggled with what she termed a “minor allergy.â€
“There was a mis-diagnosis,†revealed Uganda Athletics Federation president Dan Tamwesigire when contacted by The New Vision yesterday.
“We were told it is an allergy, but she was actually suffering from a serious nasal condition. She had a minor operation and is recovering well.â€
Inzikuru’s condition had rendered her incapable of training. She intimated last week that she was adjudged to be suffering from sinuses — a development she blamed on the cold weather in Europe –– but remained optimistic that she would recover.
“She is being monitored closely, and her participation (in the World Championships in Osaka) will depend on her recovery process,†Tamwesigire stressed.
Inzikuru, 25, has not been put on the team submitted for July’s Algiers games and the Osaka championship in August.
“She completed treatment last week and there is no way she could recover in time to take part in these competitions,†explained local athletics federation secretary Beatrice Ayikoru.
Experts at Mulago Hospital are handling her.
In 2005, Inzikuru’s ended Uganda’s 33-year wait for a gold medal at a major championship when she won the inaugural 3000m steeplechase women’s race at the World Championships in Helsinki, racing home in a time of 9:18.24.
At her debut in the 18th Commonwealth Games in Melbourne last year, Inzikuru clinched the steeplechase gold medal in a time of 9:19.51.
Inzikuru’s inability to feature in the All Africa Games and World Championships will come as a major blow both to Uganda’s hopes of securing a gold medal at both events, and Inzikuru’s personal crusade to further her domination of the 3000m-SC.
Preparations for the All Africa Games are being finalised, with government set to spend sh200m on Uganda’s contingent.
The budget covers travel, allowances and accommodation for a delegation of 31 comprising 21 sportsmen and 10 officials.
Acting commissioner for sports Omara Apita explained that government will only finance five athletes, two badminton players, four boxers, two cyclists, two swimmers, two table tennis players and four weightlifters.
Uganda Olympic Committee has offered an additional 10 tickets, of which four will go to athletes who are on Olympic Solidarity programmes.
Boxing, which has won Uganda most medals at the quadrennial games, is one of the disciplines severely affected by government’s limited funding. UABF had initially planned to send a team of seven fighters to the games that are also Olympic qualifiers.
“Our Olympic program has been hit. Government should have at least have considered the effort we have invested in this build-up,†complained UABF’s Sande Musoke.