Uganda has officially flagged off a 30-member delegation to represent the country at the East Africa U-18 and U-20 Athletics Championships in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The regional competition, scheduled for April 25th and 26th, will see athletes from ten countries vie for top honors.
The team comprises 12 U-18 athletes, 13 U-20 athletes, and five officials, all selected through the ongoing Uganda National Athletics Trials which began on March 1st at Mandela National Stadium.
These trials, organized by the Uganda Athletics Federation, have already started producing promising results, with several standout performers earning their places in the squad.
The flag-off ceremony, held at the Copper Chimney in Kampala, was presided over by Sarah Chelangat, Assistant General Secretary for Technical at the National Council of Sports.
In her address, Chelangat encouraged the young athletes to compete with passion and purpose, highlighting the newly enacted Sports Act as a significant milestone in the support and recognition of Ugandan sports talent.
“This law provides for the reward and recognition of athletes,” Chelangat said. “For years, we’ve had excellent athletes who represented Uganda but were soon forgotten. With this law, if you excel, you’ll be written into the history books of Uganda and rewarded.”
Dominic Otuchet, President of the Uganda Athletics Federation and head of the delegation, expressed confidence in the team’s potential, noting that structured national trials are already identifying future champions.
