Following the conclusion of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, we take a look at sports disciplines that have diligently represented Uganda, delivering medals.
Uganda has now won 13 medals at the Olympics since her debut at the 1956 edition in Melbourne, Australia.
All the 13 medals have been delivered by only two sports disciplines that is athletics and boxing with the former bringing in the biggest chunk of nine medals compared to the latter’s four.
It took the Pearl of Africa four editions to win their first Olympic medal when boxers Eridadi Mukwanga and Leo Rwabwogo won silver and bronze, respectively in 1968 in Mexico.
The legendary athlete John Akii-Bua won Uganda’s first gold medal at the Olympics in 1972 at an event held in Munich, West Germany.
Rwabwogo was at it once again adding a silver medal to his bronze medal won in 1968 in boxing flyweight division.
Boxing registered their fourth medal at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, Russia when John Mugabi bagged silver in the men’s welterweight.
Since 1980, Uganda returned to the podium in Atlanta, USA in 1996 with a bronze medal in men’s 400m won by Davis Kamoga.
It took Uganda more 16 years to land another Olympic medal thanks to Stephen Kiprotich’s gold in the men’s marathon in London, England in 2012.
At the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, is where Uganda collected most of her medals, four in total, two gold, one silver and bronze, apiece.
Joshua Cheptegei and Peruth Chemutai brought home gold in the men’s 5000m and women’s 3000m steeplechase, respectively.
Cheptegei would add a silver medal in the men’s 10,000m and a bronze medal in the 10,000m from Jacob Kiplimo.
Two medals at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France is the latest from Cheptegei and Chemutai after they won gold and silver in the men’s 10,000m and women’s 3000m steeplechase, respectively.
Cheptegei has won the most of these medals, three, Chemutai and Rwabwogo have two, apiece while the other winners have managed one medal each.
Uganda has participated in all the Olympics Games since 1956 except the boycotted Montreal Olympics in France in 1976.
