Athletes look for Olympic mark in N’bi
Apr 16, 2008
THE battle to make the Olympic Games grade has forced most of Uganda’s leading sprinters to head to neighbouring Kenya, where they will be assured of more competition and electronic timers.
By Norman Katende
THE battle to make the Olympic Games grade has forced most of Uganda’s leading sprinters to head to neighbouring Kenya, where they will be assured of more competition and electronic timers.
A team of eight female athletes, including London-based Mildred Gamba, and 12 men, left by road for Kenya yesterday to take part in the Kenya national trials due Saturday in Nairobi.
Only electronic times can qualify an athlete for the Olympic Games.
The departure forced the local technical committee to delay the naming of the national team to the Africa Athletics Championships that are due in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia starting April 29.
According to federation secretary Beatrice Ayikoru, the local athletics body will compare the times from the Nairobi meet before naming the final team.
“We will be naming the team after the Nairobi meet. We shall look at their times and consistency,†said Ayikoru.
The Nairobi team:
Justine Bayiga (200, 400m), Emily Nanziri (100, 400m), Emmanuela Oroma ( 100, 200), Agnes Aneno (400), Monica Akello and Janet Achola (800); Gamba (100, l/jump), Annet Kabasindi (javelin), Waiswa Lukungu and Kassim Latigo (400m), Paskar Owor (1500), Timothy Kabuye (t/jump), Moses Ejobu (l/jump), Roger Ahebwa, Jerome Kibira and Stephen Odwar (100, 200m), David Okot (h/jump), Joseph Chebet (5000), Fred Kenuga (10000) and Geoffrey Okello (t/jump).
THE battle to make the Olympic Games grade has forced most of Uganda’s leading sprinters to head to neighbouring Kenya, where they will be assured of more competition and electronic timers.
A team of eight female athletes, including London-based Mildred Gamba, and 12 men, left by road for Kenya yesterday to take part in the Kenya national trials due Saturday in Nairobi.
Only electronic times can qualify an athlete for the Olympic Games.
The departure forced the local technical committee to delay the naming of the national team to the Africa Athletics Championships that are due in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia starting April 29.
According to federation secretary Beatrice Ayikoru, the local athletics body will compare the times from the Nairobi meet before naming the final team.
“We will be naming the team after the Nairobi meet. We shall look at their times and consistency,†said Ayikoru.
The Nairobi team:
Justine Bayiga (200, 400m), Emily Nanziri (100, 400m), Emmanuela Oroma ( 100, 200), Agnes Aneno (400), Monica Akello and Janet Achola (800); Gamba (100, l/jump), Annet Kabasindi (javelin), Waiswa Lukungu and Kassim Latigo (400m), Paskar Owor (1500), Timothy Kabuye (t/jump), Moses Ejobu (l/jump), Roger Ahebwa, Jerome Kibira and Stephen Odwar (100, 200m), David Okot (h/jump), Joseph Chebet (5000), Fred Kenuga (10000) and Geoffrey Okello (t/jump).