Uganda’s little known world champion

It is a sunny morning and a group of athletes are jogging around Hoima Booma ground. Some have torn shoes while others are dressed casually.

Their training session is occasionally interrupted by pedestrians who illegally trespass through the only remaining open space in the town. Nineteen-year-old Jacent Nyamahunge hardly stands out among the shabbily dressed athletes, although she is a world champion.

Teenager who is world champion
When I find them that day, Nyamahunge and nine other athletes are training to compete in this year’s Uganda’s National post primary and East African athletics competitions that will be hosted by Gulu District in northern Uganda.

In 2015, she was among the athletes who represented Uganda at the world Special Olympics in USA. In July, 2015, Nyamahunge won two gold medals in 100 metres which she ran at 12.10 seconds and 200 metres at 24.00 seconds at the world Special Olympics that were held in Los Angeles from July 25 to August 2, 2015.

The multi-sport event hosted 6,500 Special Olympics athletes with intellectual disabilities from 165 nations across the world that competed in 25 different games. “These games will change the lives of people around the world who are mistreated and excluded because they are different,” predicted Patrick McClenahan, president and chief executive officer of the Los Angles 2015 games organising committee in a statement posted on the games official website.

McClenahan was right. Nyamahunge, an orphan from a humble background had never crossed the Ugandan boarders. The games gave her an opportunity to not only travel out of Uganda but also to board a plane for the first time in her life.

Turning point
“The games were a turning point in my life because I became a world champion,” says Nyamahunge with a smile. Unfortunately, her father, Francis Isingoma, had passed away that same year in January.

On her return to Uganda, she was received in jubilation with a motorcade and she met the King of Bunyoro, Dr Solomon Gafabusa Iguru 1, and his ministers. “The President also promised me Shs5m and a scholarship. I received the money but I’m yet to receive the scholarship. I’m still hopeful he will give it to me,” Nyamahunge says.

She used Shs2.3m of this money to buy two acres of land for her mother, Anna Mary Kyalisiima, who had been sent out of her matrimonial home by relatives after the passing on of her husband.

“She constructed for me a semi-permanent house, roofed with over 20 iron sheets. She gives me comfort and hope,” says her 51-year-old mother, a peasant farmer.

National gold medalist

She competed in the 2016 national post primary athletics competitions that were hosted by Rukungiri District where she won silver in 100 metres 11.3 seconds and gold in 200 metres 23.7seconds. She was part of the Ugandan team at the East African athletics post primary competitions that were hosted by Eldoret in Kenya. She again excelled and attained three gold medals. “I won gold in 100 metres, 200 metres and 4x4 relays,” she says.

No glittering life for the medalist
Despite winning multiple gold medals, her life is not glittering. She started competing at national primary athletics competitions when she was in Primary Five. She also competed in national post primary athletics competitions in Lira and Mbale in 2013 and 2014 respectively, but she would not get any accolade.

“My speed was low because I wasn’t training seriously. I would run for leisure. But when I started intense, consistent and serious training, I began to win,” Nyamahunge says. She braves the heat and poor sports facilities as she trains.

“I started running bare foot in district competitions and when I started winning, people started to donate to me some sports wears,” Nyamahunge says.

Sometimes, she suffers injuries such as sprains, which she can hardly afford to treat. She also struggles to meet the costs of survival in Kampala where she won a bursary at Old Kampala S.S.
“I sometimes lack transport to go for training and I’m forced to walk to Namboole and other training grounds,” she says.

She needs exposure to professional coaches and some of the training facilities require membership and payment to access.

Struggling medalist adored
Despite her drawbacks, there are many athletes who adore her. “She is a star and she is faster than I am. She inspires me,” said Molen Olwoch, 19, a student at Premier S.S who has competed against Nyamahunge at district and national events.

Catherine Kiiza, 18, a student at Liberty Institute who competed against Nyamahunge at the national post primary athletics in Rukungiri in 2016 talks of Nyamahunge’s committment.
Her coach, Kaahwa Kajabago, adds; “She is disciplined and interested in learning. Her target is to be a world star.”

Factfile

Jacent Nyamahunge was born on December 2, 1998 at Kaigo village in Hoima District. She is currently under the care of her uncle Maj. Acasias Mpabaisi.

Nyamahunge completed primary education with 22 aggregate at Kaigo Primary school in 2011. She joined Premier S.S, Hoima, where she completed O’Level in 2015.

She is currently in Senior Six at Old Kampala S.S and wants to study Law at Makerere University. “I want to become a lawyer so that I can defend the rights of the under privileged like me,” she says.