UAF settles for seven athletes at Africa Cross Country Championships

Seven athletes will represent Uganda at the Africa Cross Country Championships in Yaoundé, Cameroon on Saturday.

Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) was expected to send 20 athletes to the event as they start preparing a team for the World Cross Country Championships due in Uganda for the first time.

The global show will be held next year. However, a lack of funds has forced UAF's technical committee to send seven athletes only.

The team includes the top four runners in the senior men's category at the national cross country championships held in Jinja last month.
The remaining three slots were given to the winners of the other categories- senior women and junior men and women. The move will also enable the athletes get international exposure.

"We would have wanted to have a full team at the continental event since we were the hosts of the previous competition," UAF general secretary Beatrice Ayikoru told New Vision yesterday.

The official added, "But we are financially constrained." The team has been training for a couple of days. The team named by UAF comprises Philip Kipyeko, Abdalla Mande, Thomas Ayeko and Daniel Rotich (senior men), Stella Chesang (senior women).Mande Bushendich (junior men) and Janat Chemusto (junior women).