Cross-country tickets go on sale

By James Bakama

Africa Cross-country Championship (Sunday, 2pm)

TEAMS will start arriving on Thursday for the Africa Cross-country Championship.

“By Friday all the 30 countries expected will be here,” explained Uganda Athletics Federation president Domenic Otuchet.

Foreign officials led by Confederation of Africa Athletics president David Okeyo start arriving today.

By yesterday final touches were being made on the competition course at Kololo ceremonial ground. A layer of tartan was being laid on a 180 metre section of the course that runs in front of the pavilion.

Team Uganda captained by world cross-country silver medalist Moses Kipsiro, leaves the high altitude camp in Bukwo tomorrow for Kampala.

UAF yesterday got a huge boost with Mukwano Group of Companies through its Aqua Sipi brand offering water for the competition. Aqua Sipi, which has Olympic and World Championship marathon gold medalist Stephen Kiprotich as its brand ambassador, also backs UAF in local events.

Otuchet has meanwhile appealed to Ugandans to turn up in big numbers for the event.

Standing will be at sh10,000, seating sh30,000 and VIP 100,000. Tickets are already on sale at the UAF offices on Entebbe Road.

The federation is also registering volunteers for the competition.

“We want as many volunteers as possible so that we can be able to handle all the departments including first aid, refreshments, and security on Sunday,” Otuchet stated.

Kenya has previously won all gold medals of the championship. 

They hosted the inaugural event in 1985 while the subsequent competitions in 2011 and 2012 were staged at Koerboom Park in Cape Town, South Africa.