Puma gives kit

Mar 08, 2006

INTERNATIONAL sports kit manufacturer Puma will provide the official kit for the Uganda team to the Melbourne Commonwealth Games due to start on March 15.

By Norman Katende

INTERNATIONAL sports kit manufacturer Puma will provide the official kit for the Uganda team to the Melbourne Commonwealth Games due to start on March 15.

UOC president Maj. Gen. Francis Nyangweso said that the manufacturers – who have also been dressing the national athletics team and also dressed the national team to the Munich Olympics when Akii Bua won gold in 1972 – will provide the competition kit for the team of 49 athletes and 16 officials at the games.

“We had tried to talk to many of the manufacturers but most of them were busy with the soccer World Cup. Puma decided to come in. All the kits will be delivered at the Games Village to avoid unnecessary expenses,” Nyangweso asserted.

Puma replaces Adidas, who dressed the national team at the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004.
Nyangweso added that unlike past times, the national federations will own the training kits after the games for further use.

“It will now depend on the federations to either keep the uniforms or give them out.”
Meanwhile, weightlifter Irene Ajambo (above) will be overall team captain at the Commonwealth Games.

The teacher, who has had a series of international exposure including the World Weightlifting Championship, departs with the second batch that will have shooting, table tennis, weightlifting, swimming and badminton players.
The batch will be led by general team manager Justin Ligyalingi.

The Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) technical committee has, meanwhile, reduced the number of events for long distance runners at the games.

UAF assistant secretary J.B. Bananuka said that unlike other events where Wilson Busienei and Boniface Kiprop have been taking part in both the 5000m and 10000m, they will this time only take part in their best events, in order to reserve energy for the World Cross Country championship due in Fokouka, Japan April 1-2.

“We do not want this system of burning out. We have made sure that they take part in only their best events and then cool off for the Fokouka championship,” said Bananuka.

The decision will see Busienei and Kiprop compete in the 10000m while Moses Kipsiro goes for the 5000m. The other Fokouka-bound athlete Dorcus Inzikuru will compete in the 3000m steeplechase.

Meanwhile, coach Gordon Ahimbisibwe has headed to the Bukwo Camp to start training the stars ahead of the world championships.

Ahimbisibwe has handled the cross country team for the last four years.

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