Ugandan cyclists Muharud Mukasa and Ernest Buule failed to complete their races at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
And that set Charles Kagimu’s ultimate goal at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
However, he fell ill before the 272.1km event on Saturday and it took him perseverance and resilience to finish the over six hours race.
“It’s been quite tough for me since the opening ceremony after falling sick and I could hardly get out of bed,” Kagimu told the media on Sunday.
“I managed to recover, but still, even after recovery, sickness takes a lot from you, especially in terms of fitness.”
“Heading into the race, I was open-minded, and I wanted to do something special, but first things first, I had to ensure that I reached the finish line.”
“It was possible to make a mistake which could leave me out of the race like we saw with some of my colleagues,” he added.
The 25-year-old came out 77th after posting a time of 6 hours, 50 minutes, and 49 seconds but spent over four hours in the leading pack, notably in the fifth position.
“I had to do something different and extraordinary to stand out for myself, and that is how I managed to be among the front runners for almost three-thirds of the race,” Kagimu noted.
“Honestly speaking, it was a long race, probably the longest I have ever been in, but it was a privilege to hold the Ugandan flag that high.”
Unfortunately, 13 cyclists bowed out during the race leaving Kagimu in the last position at the end of the day.
It is an event to remember for Kagimu, not only because he was able to finish off the race but also because he was Uganda’s flag bearer during the opening ceremony alongside swimmer Gloria Muzito.
