Ugandan cyclist Charles Kagimu has officially landed in France ahead of the much-anticipated 2024 Paris Olympics.
Kagimu becomes the second athlete from Uganda to arrive to this year’s host country, following rower Kathleen Noble’s arrival on Sunday, July 21.
The 25-year old will be one of Uganda’s flag bearers at the opening ceremony on Friday, July 26.
He is also set to make history as the country’s first cyclist to compete in Olympic Games in 40 years.
A professional road and gravel cyclist, Kagimu has already made a name for himself in the cycling world.
In 2023, he clinched the gold medal in the Individual Time Trial at the African Road Championships and represented Uganda at the UCI Road World Championships in Glasgow, where he faced tough competition.
Despite not finishing the race, his determination and skill have positioned him as a formidable contender on the international stage.
Kagimu will compete in the men’s road race, marking Uganda’s return to Olympic cycling after a 40-year hiatus since the 1984 Los Angeles Games, where the nation was represented by cyclists Ernest Buule and Muhamad Mukasa.
The cyclist is coached by Ishaka Bukenya, and has been training in Netherlands, Mauritius and Kenya ahead of the competition.
In an interview with NBS Sport last month, Kagimu talked about what have been his areas of focus in the trainings saying, “I’m trying to work more on the endurance and speed because Paris is going to be quite tough.”
He also stated that representing Uganda at the Olympics is an opportunity for him 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.
Uganda will be represented by a total of 25 athletes across four sports disciplines at the Paris Olympics. The contingent includes 21 runners, a rower, a cyclist (Kagimu), and two swimmers.
After earning four medals at the previous Olympics in Tokyo, the country will be aiming to increase on the number of silverware at this year’s competition.
