National Cross-Country set for next month

UGANDA | CROSS-COUNTRY | CHAMPIONSHIP

The Uganda National Cross-Country Championships will be on December 10, 2022, a date slightly but significantly earlier than the normal schedule.

Under typical circumstances, the coveted national championships have been staged in January every year, but that will not be the case for 2022.

National Cross-Country is one of the World Athletics label qualification events for countries to field their respective teams for the sought-after World Cross-Country Championships.

Despite its dateline alterations, the eastern town of Tororo, which hosted the event in January 2022, has been selected one more time as the venue for the championships.

Packed schedule

According to Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) vice-president technical, Benjamin Njia, the changes have been brought about by the looming congested international schedule

“The schedule is packed, and we want to select the national cross-country team that will represent Uganda at the World Cross-Country Championships ahead of schedule,” Njia told New Vision.

Besides the World Cross-Country Championships, Njia sees more reasons elsewhere: “There are a host of other competitions lined up regionally, nationally, at the continental level, and of course some of them are international, and we want athletes to be in good shape.”

UAF Vice President Technical Benjamin Njia Said The Move To Host The Championship Earlier Is To Ensure That Athletes Have Enough Time To Prepare For International Games. Photo By Javier Silas Omagor

Indeed, 2023 will be a busy one for athletics given that the same year will host the 2023 World Athletics Championships, which the Hungarian city of Budapest will play host to.

As if that is not enough, athletes around the world will use the same year to prepare for the Olympics in the French capital, Paris.

“There is almost no time for proper preparations, but we want to make the most of the little time at our disposal, hence the reason for some of these changes here and there,” Njia said.

Talks about other disciplines

On its own, the event will feature both junior and senior categories under the normal set-up, but the federation is still embroiled in talks to introduce other disciplines into the championships – that remains to be seen.

Participation

To participate in the event, one must have registered with the competition desk at the UAF, while international teams are allowed to register their interest as well.

The last event attracted teams from South Sudan, Djibouti, Tanzania, Sudan, and Kenya, among others.

The 2018 Commonwealth Games bronze medalist, Mercyline Chelangat, won the senior women category, while Xurica Sports Management Agency’s Ali Chebure bossed over the senior men.

The reigning World University Cross-Country Champion, Dismas Yeko, was the only defending champion to retain his title when he clinched the junior men's gold, and his counterpart, Scarlet Patrick Chebet, was too good for her junior women's competitors.

Uganda Wildlife Authority Athletics Club’s Tom Dradiga sealed the mixed-sex category for men. 

December’s edition is poised to be even more competitive as reigning world champions, record holders Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo, and Olympic Champion Peruth Chemutai have all confirmed their intent to race at the event. 

10K the 2018 Commonwealth Games 10k gold winner, Stella Chesang; national record holder Sarah Chelangat; 2022 Commonwealth Games Birmingham Marathon winner Victor Kiplangat; national half marathon champion Ali Chebures; back-to-back World Athletics Junior Championship bronze winners (Nairobi, Kenya, in 2021; and Cali, Colombia, in 2022); and Prisca Chesang will also feature. 

Other top names expected in Tororo are World Islamic Solidarity Games (Turkey) silver medalist Abel Chebet, Cannes 10K bronze winner Abel Sikowo, former national marathon record holder Felix Chemonges Malewa, World Islamic Solidarity Games 2022 (Turkey) bronze medalist Janat Chemusto, recently crowned national mountain race championship champion Joel Ayeko, and the Prisons Athletics Club trio of David Emong, Belinda Chemutai, and Esther Chebet, among others.

With the likes of Joshua Cheptegei Development Foundation (JOCDEF) and Inzikuru Athletics Academies having debuted in the recent edition, more clubs are also expected to cut their teeth come December.