Uganda has officially flagged off a contingent of 26 athletes and four officials to represent the country at the 46th World Cross Country Championships, scheduled for Saturday in Florida, United States.
The team is set to depart in the early hours of Tuesday, January 6, with two time world champion Jacob Kiplimo leading the squad.
Kiplimo will be chasing a historic third consecutive senior men’s 10km title as Uganda targets another strong outing on the global stage.
Speaking during the flag off ceremony, National Council of Sports General Secretary Dr Bernard Ogwel described athletics as Uganda’s most valuable sporting asset, citing its consistent success and global recognition.
“Athletics is a blessing to our nation. It remains our strongest sport, and wherever I go abroad, people want to associate with Uganda because we are a country of champions like Joshua Cheptegei, Jacob Kiplimo and Peruth Chemutai,” Dr Ogwel said.
Uganda will be looking to build on its performance at the 2025 World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, where the team returned with five medals, reinforcing its status as one of the leading nations in distance running.
