UAAF TO select 4

By James Bakama UGANDA Amateur Athletics Federation (UAAF) can only send four athletes to the World Youth Championship in Hungary next month, and are looking for sponsorship for the other 13. Seventeen teenagers qualified for next month's world meet at the Eastern Africa Youth Championships on Friday, which Uganda won with 22 gold, 15 silver and 15 bronze medals at Mandela Stadium at Namboole. UAAF is assured of sponsorship for only four athletes from the International Amateur Athletics Federation. IAAF sponsors athletes from all its affiliates according to their strength. "We are praying that some good samaritan salvages us," said UAAF secretary Patrick Okanya. The World Youth Championship was introduced in 1998. The inaugural event in Russia had Uganda's Catherine Webombesa striking gold in the 3000 meters. Qualifiers from Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Tanzania, Sudan, Kenya, Djibouti and Uganda will sharpen for the world meet at the IAAF regional high altitude center in Eldoret under the guidance of 1988 Seoul Olympics 800m gold medallist Paul Ereng. Meanwhile, UAAF patron Maj. Gen. Salim Saleh has said he will lead a crusade aimed at creation of track and field heroes. "One of the ways of doing this is by requesting government and the private sector for more sponsorship," said Saleh. He was a chief guest at the Eastern Africa Youth Championship that saw Ugandans dominate the show. Competitors were on Friday boosted by an IAAF decision to lift a rule that requires qualification to major meets to be in electronically timed competitions. Uganda uses hand timing gadgets. Saleh has been UAAF's main financier and funded the team to the 1999 All Africa Games. Last season, he funded the national team's training and trip for the world cross-country, and also financed this year's trip to Belgium where Uganda again won bronze in the juniors race. Ends