How sprinter Kigonya snubbed UK

Jul 20, 2015

Theodore Kigonya has turned down three offers to run for Great Britain.


By James Bakama

Theodore Kigonya has turned down three offers to run for Great Britain.

The sprinter, whose mother is a Briton and father Joshua Zake a Ugandan, prefers to run for the country of his father’s origin.

That decision could turn out as one of the biggest things to have happened to Uganda’s sprints. That is if the England based teenager’s exploits at the national athletics championships at Namboole over the weekend are anything to go by.

Kigonya, whose dream is to win a medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, cruised to victory in the men’s final at Namboole.

He clocked 10.71, which though well outside the Beijing World Championship qualification, was still impressive for a junior competing against seasoned runners.

He was also here in April for a national trial at the same venue that he also won.

“My target is to win a medal for Uganda at next year’s IAAF World Junior Championships,” said Kigonya.

“It is such dreams that keep me training and working hard. I always want to be the best. The day that will not be so, is when I will stop competing.”
 

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Kigonya on the extreme right set for a men's 100m sprint. (Credit: Mpalanyi Ssentongo)



 

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Here, the youthful sprinter cruises to victory. (Credit: Mpalanyi Ssentongo)


Despite also winning the heat and semi-final, he described the championship as tough. “It was not easy. I had to stay focused. Then when it got to the final, there was a false start.”

His father Joshua Zake together with Kigonya’s other relatives were at Namboole to cheer him on. “It was clear right from a very early age that he was fast,” recounted the Loughborough based Zake. Kigonya promised to defend his title next year.

“I will be back with possibly an even better time.” He couldn’t hide his love for Uganda.

“I love Uganda the weather is good. This is not like England where it rains all the time.” Kigonya on Friday ran alongside another UK based Ugandan James Kasirye who finished third.

Defending champion Phillip Ng’won, who ran the fastest 100 meters ever in Namboole (10.36) last year, this time had a false start.

Kigonya recently won the 100 and 200 meters in the Midlands Indoor Championships and the Leicestershire County Championships.



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