Ugandan athletes have appealed to the government to speed up the renovation of the Namboole National Track, so they can train and compete at the country’s premier sports facility.
They urged the government to prioritize the renovation of the stadium’s running surface during the just concluded National Track and Field championships that took place at Uganda Christian University on Saturday, June 29th.
Abdallah Muhammad, the Publicity Secretary of the Uganda Athletics Federation, emphasised the need for a fully functional track at Namboole Stadium.
“We call upon the government to renovate Namboole Stadium and other stadiums that are coming up for athletics so that we have alternatives when we need to train and compete,” he said.
“The Qualifications standards of World Athletics require electric timers for the events from 800 metres and below, which we can only get in Namboole.” He added
The athletes have been forced to use the Uganda Christian University (UCU) pitch for their training and track and field championships as they wait for the Namboole renovation to be completed.
This has hampered their preparations for major international competitions, including the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.
The athletes lamented the poor condition of the UCU pitch, which they say is not up to international standards.
“The ground is very stony which is not good for the athletes. At least at Namboole, the track is international. Here when you kneel, you get bruises on the knees and the surface is hard,” said Joyce Ajok, the assistant manager of the Uganda Prisons Athletics Club.
The lack of a standard stadium has forced the athletes to travel abroad to train and participate in qualifying events for the Olympics.
A team of 13 Ugandan athletes recently took part in the Africa Senior Championship in Douala, Cameroon, to qualify for the Paris Games.
Evelyn Acen, an athlete at the Uganda Prisons Athletics Club, expressed her disappointment, saying, “Not training from Namboole has affected us, because some of us would’ve already qualified for international games, but we can’t do that from here (UCU).”
The athletes are hopeful that once the renovation of Namboole Stadium is completed, they will be able to train and compete at a world-class facility, improving their chances of success at major international events.
Adoli Aaron, a 400-meter runner, emphasized the importance of having a standard track close to home, saying, “We need Namboole so that we can be able to train from home instead of going overseas.”
