Still much to do in athletics â€" UAF

Jul 24, 2007

LOCAL athletics is celebrating its first Africa Games gold medal since 1987, but officials at the governing body UAF say they still have a long way to go.

By Norman Katende

LOCAL athletics is celebrating its first Africa Games gold medal since 1987, but officials at the governing body UAF say they still have a long way to go.

While analysing Uganda’s performance at the just concluded games in Algeria, federation secretary Beatrice Ayikoru said that it had improved since Uganda last won a gold medal over 20 years ago. She however added that it was not yet time to relax and look on.

Javelin thrower Justin Arop won gold at the 1987 Nairobi games. Athletics has now produced 10 of Uganda’s 18 gold medals since 1965.

“Credit should go to the coaches like Noah Ssengendo and James Mugeni, who have been with the athletes,” said Ayikoru.

Of the nine athletes that made the trip, Uganda had five finalists and a gold medal. Only one, Stephen Odwar, got an injury and failed to go past the preliminary stages.
Ayikoru said that athletes’ lack of confidence just before selection and lack of exposure also contributed to their poor show.

“Most of the finalists, save for Annet Kabasindi, had had international exposure and are eyeing the lucrative World Championships. What we have to do is to expose more athletes and also make sure that we have funds available like in the case of both the Olympic Games and World Championships, where everyone who qualifies is sure of a ticket to the games,” she said.

Meanwhile, Uganda is looking at entering its highest number of athletes at the World Athletics Championships before the end of the qualification deadline in three weeks time.

With seven having qualified already for the biennial event due August 25 – September 2 in Osaka, Japan, three more athletes left for Europe on Sunday in an effort to hit the qualifying marks.

According to Ayikoru, athletes Stephen Kiprotich (in the Netherlands), Moses Aliwa and Geoffrey Kusuro (Italy) have all left with a target of hitting the 5000m mark in order to give Moses Kipsiro company in the race.

Kipsiro, the All Africa games gold medallist over the distance, is the only athlete that has qualified for the event, with Boniface Kiprop and Wilson Busienei having qualified for the 10000m.

“This means that if one of them runs below 13:28, then he can qualify for the 5000m. But in order to enter three athletes in the same race, they must be able to run below 13:21 (5000m) and 27:49 (10000m),” explained Ayikoru.

Dorcus Inzikuru will not be able to defend her 3000m steeplechase title but more athletes in Abraham Chepkirwok (800m), Benjamin Kiplagat (3000m SC), Alex Malinga and Amos Masai (marathon) have all qualified.

In another development, Abraham Chepkirwok was still commanding the 2007 World Athletics Tour standings in the 800m, despite his poor performance in the races before the All Africa Games.

Chepkirwok, who had competed in five races in a space of just six weeks, is still perched at the top of the ranks with an accumulated 60 points, as the World Athletics Tour reaches its half way mark.
He is followed by Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Al Salhi (46) and Russian Yuriy Borzakovsiy (42).

Moses Kipsiro is ranked fourth in the 3000m with 20 points from a single race. His training partner, Kenyan Joseph Ebuya with 36 points from three outings, is in the lead the while Benjamin Kiplagat lies in 34th position.

Kiplagat is not ranked in the 3000 steeplecahse despite posting good times. The events he has been participating in are not part of the IAAF World tour.

IAAF World Tour rankings
800m

1 A. Chepkirwok (UGA) 60
2 M. Salhi (KSA) 46
3 Y. Borzakovsiy (RUS) 42
3000m
1 J. Ebuya (KEN) 36
2 B. Songok (KEN) 26
4 M. Kipsiro (UGA) 20
34 B. Kiplagat (UGA) 4

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