Athletics: With Deserved Preparations and Support, we are to Sweep Medals at Tokyo Olympic Games- Otuchet

Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) president Dominic Otuchet has this morning called upon all sports stake holders and well wishers for rally deserved support towards Uganda’s athletes ahead of the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games.

“From the beginning it has been God. Our focus now turns to Tokyo Olympic Games. We are confident that with due support and preparations we shall sweep medals at the event.
We have a number of world champions in waiting who only need deserved support from different stakeholders.” Otuchet.

Otuchet’s call has come following limited funding into the sport. It should be remembered that only over 8 billion Uganda shillings has been invested in the sport since Uganda played host to world cross country championship in 2017.

A total of 6 billion is expected to be injected in the Olympic games preparations for the whole of team Uganda.

All this was spoken this morning during a press briefing and the receiving of the National athletics team from Poland where Uganda teenager Jacob Kiplimo won a half marathon gold medal.

The team came in two batches, as the second and last batch of Team Uganda athletics led by World Half Marathon Champion, Jacob Kiplimo safely touched ground at Entebbe Airport aboard KLM airlines last night.

They comprise Juliet Chekwel, Doreen Chemutai, Doreen Chesang, Zena Chebet, Moses Kibet and Coach Benjamin Njia who were part of the contingent.

The first group which included Joshua Cheptegei, Victor Kiplagat and Stephen Kissa arrived in Uganda on Monday.

Jacob Kiplimo (19-year-old) won first ever medal in his debut for Uganda at the event, making a championship record time of 58:49.

This victory came shortly after an impressive show on the Diamond League, where claimed his country’s first medal at the championships ahead of Kenya’s Kibiwott Kandie.

Steven Cheptegei is another Uganda golden hero who recently won 10,000M championship in Valencia and a 5000M in the diamond league held in Monaco.

In attendance was the National Council of Sports chairperson Donald Rukare, general secretary (NCS) Dr. Benard Ogwel, AIGP Andrew Solowen, David Kitende (assistant general secretary NCS), Omara Apiita the commissioner for physical education and sports and the Uganda Athletics Federation president Dominic Otuchet and his entire executive.