Uganda goes for honours

Mar 31, 2006

GODFREY Nuwagaba is confident that the athletes at the 34th IAAF World Cross Country championships in Fukuoka, Japan, are mature enough to take on the world’s best.

By Norman Katende

Today, 6.15am; SS6/8
Short Race (4km)
B. Siwa, W. Busienei, M. Kipsiro, S. Ayiekho and B. Kiplagat

Sunday, 6.45am; SS6/8
Senior men (12km)
B. Kiprop, W. Busienei, M. Kipsiro, I. Kiprop, M. Aliwa, S. Kosgei.
Junior race men (8km)
G. Kusiro, N. Kwemoi, S. Kiproitich and F. Arapsudi

GODFREY Nuwagaba is confident that the athletes at the 34th IAAF World Cross Country championships in Fukuoka, Japan, are mature enough to take on the world’s best.

Action starts today when the team of five Ugandans make a maiden attempt to the short race title, that is also being eyed by long distance power houses Ethiopia and Kenya in the two-day event.

Nuwagaba, the local federation treasurer and manager of Standard High School Amananka camp, looks at the team as stars that have had enough training, and will fly Uganda’s flag high in the championship.

“The boys have had good training and are looking forward to running as a team,” said Nuwagaba of the team that trained for a month under distance coach Gordon Ahimbisibwe.

The team tonight will be spurred by experienced Moses Kipsiro and Wilson Busienei, who will combine with the energetic middle distance runners Ben Siwa, Simon Ayiekho and Benjamin Kiplagat in the hunt for good results.

They will however, have to face the traditional giants Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele and Qatar’s Saif Saaeed Shaheen.

The junior Ugandans will be fighting to improve on last year’s performance when they finished fifth.

Kipsiro and Busienei will combine with Isaac and Boniface Kiprop, Moses Aliwa and Sammy Kosgei, for the senior (12km) race tomorrow.

On the local scene, action is on in Adjuman where Justine Bayiga heads elite athletes to the second national trials today. The Kampala International University star, failed to make the Commonwealth Games due to registration mishaps.

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