Marathon team leaves for Commonwealth Games on April 7

Commonwealth Games
Dates: April 4-15
Venue: Gold Coast

Five members of Team Uganda are determined to maximise the benefits of high altitude training before competing in the Commonwealth Games.

The five; Robert Chemonges (marathon), Albert Chemutai (3000mSC), Alex Chesakit (marathon), Solomon Mutai (marathon) and Timothy Toroitich (10,000m) have subsequently delayed their departure to Gold Coast until Saturday, April 7.

With the marathon coming last on the athletics competition schedule, Chemonges, Chesakit, and Mutai have a good 13 days ahead of them to build as much stamina as they can. The group is currently based at the high altitude training centre in Kapchorwa, eastern Uganda.

Two days before the Sunday, April 15 marathon final, two other runners Chemutai and Toroitich will step on the track to compete in the 3000mSC and 10,000m finals respectively.

Tomorrow afternoon, another batch of Ugandan athletes, flies out to the Gold Coast; a journey lasting more than 20 hours.

Speaking on phone from Gold Coast, the National Council of Sports senior administrative secretary Ivan Mugowa said they were ready to receive the batch that leaves tomorrow.

He added that the rest of the team who got to Australia earlier is in good shape.

"We have no issues with food or weather. The only challenge was to get used to operating in a different time zone, but we have adjusted pretty Ugandan boxers relax in Gold Coast after a training session quickly to that," he said.