Ugandan long-distance runner Prisca Chesang has made her return to competitive athletics following a three-year suspension for doping.
Chesang was banned in 2023 after testing positive for Furosemide, a diuretic prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency, during the World Road Running Championships in Riga, where she finished 18th in the mile race. The Athletics Integrity Unit handed down the suspension, sidelining one of Uganda’s most promising talents.
At the recent national trials, Uganda Athletics Federation president Dominic Otucet reminded athletes of the dangers of banned substances, urging them to protect both their careers and the integrity of the sport.
For Chesang, the comeback is about rebuilding step by step.
“This season I’m focusing on regaining my fitness. After today’s performance, I will go back to training and see what comes next,” she said.
The time away from competition was not easy.
“Being away from the track, I have really missed running with my teammates,” Chesang admitted.
Before her suspension, Chesang had already shown flashes of brilliance, winning two bronze medals at the World U20 Championships in the women’s 5,000 meters.
