As the world prepares for the highly anticipated 2024 Paris Olympics, a group of Ugandan athletes are leaving no stone unturned in preparing for their quest for glory on the global stage.
In interviews with NBS Sport’s “Sport This Evening” program Charles Kagimu, a cyclist and Kathleen Noble, a Ugandan rower who will be representing the country at the “world’s biggest sports spectacle” said that they’re ready to make the nation proud at the Olympics.
Charles Kagimu, an INEOS athlete, revealed that his preparations have been “really good” over the past few months, with the company funding his training in different countries like the Netherlands and Mauritius, where he completed the training.
“After the Netherlands, I went to Mauritius to do my final competition before the Olympics,” Kagimu said.
The 230-kilometer races in Paris, which are expected to last over 5 hours, will require exceptional endurance and speed from the competitors.
The first-ever cycling gold medalist for Uganda at the African Games, who is currently in Kenya, said that he has been diligently focusing on these areas, recognising the need to be at his best.
“I’m trying to work more on the endurance and speed,” the cyclist explained, “because Paris is going to be quite tough.”
While it will be Kagimu’s first Olympic appearance, he sees it as an opportunity to shine, as the reduced number of riders per nation could work in his favour.
“Since the riders will be few, it’ll be a good thing for me because the big nations will bring fewer riders, and that is something really good for me,” he said.
Kagimu’s excitement is shared by Kathleen Noble, a Ugandan rower who will be representing the country at the Olympics for the second time.
Nakisozi Batenga, her Uganda-based coach, revealed on the show that the preparations have been going great, with her working with Noble’s US-bases coach, and the rower breaking national records during a recent competition in Italy.
“We’ve been working on speed, and she’s breaking records,” Batenga said, adding that they have also been focusing on Noble’s mental state to ensure she is in the right frame of mind for the prestigious event.
Noble herself expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “I’m feeling pretty good and ready about my preparations. If there’s good weather, I’ll break some records. I’m excited because this year’s Olympics will be better than the Tokyo Olympics because there’s no Covid.”
Uganda will send a team of 18 competitors, including 16 athletes, 1 cyclist, and 1 rower, to the 2024 Paris Olympics, which will take place between July 26th and August 11th.
