Ndejje defend athletics crown

KAMPALA. Ndejje University remained on course to retaining their overall crown of the Eastern Africa University Games (EAUG) after they successfully defended their athletics trophy on Friday at Uganda Christian University (UCU), Mukono.
The Ugandan institution, overall winners from the last edition held in Dar es Salaam in 2012, had by press time picked up 27 track and field medals, nine of them gold, eight silver and an 10 bronze medals.

Hosts UCU finished second with seven gold, five silver and four bronze medals. Kenyatta University came third with seven medals with Mount Kenya (six medals) fourth. Some of the highlights on the final day of the athletics competition included Bugema University’s Joshua Cheptegei effortlessly completing his double in the 5,000m and 10,000m.
Having powered to the 10,000m gold - overlapping second and third en route - on Thursday, the 18-year-old Cheptegei broke away to again beat Mt Kenya’s Mark Lakwanamoi in the 5,000m in 14:15.73. “It was just easy,” Cheptegei, also the IAAF World Junior Champion, told Sunday Monitor, “I didn’t have to stretch myself. Lakwanamoi tried to live up with me but he couldn’t keep with my pace.” Cheptegei’s double helped Bugema finish fifth in the standings as they racked up a total of six medals.
The 100m women was won by Mt Kenya’s Caroline Waiganju in 12.79.
The Games defending champion and one of the most promising sprinters in the country having also won the event at the Nusfu championships last year – Ivan Wesonga - easily won gold in the men’s category.
“I trained a lot on my speed and endurance,” 22-year-old Wesonga, a second year student of procurement, told Sunday Monitor after sprinting to gold in 10.86 secs, “Now I just have to keep focused as these University Games are just a stepping stone to World Championships.”
Ndejje’s Anthony Okiror was relieved after winning the men’s 400m in 48.85 after a recent strike at school hampered his training regime.
“I couldn’t train as much as I would have loved but the good thing is that I kicked early having been given the front lane.”
Basketball, football, and volleyball among several other disciplines were into the knockout stages yesterday. The Games end today.

Other medallists
Rugby (team sport)
UCU – Gold
Mak – Silver
USIU (KE) - Bronze
Swimming, Gold
KIU – 3
Mak – 1
Kenyatta – 1
Silver
Kenyatta – 3
USIU – 2
Nairobi – 1
Bronze
Nairobi, Ndejje, KI, IUEA, Mak – 1 each
Karate
Gold: KIU - 2
Silver: Ndejje – 2
Bronze: Rwanda, Kenyatta – 1 apiece

SELECTED RESULTS
100m men
Ivan Wesonga, UCU 10:86 secs
Solomon Obuto, Busitema 11:10
Joseph Onduto, Kisii 11:13
100m women
Caroline Waiganju, Mt Kenya 12:79 secs
Mary Zawadi, UCU 12:98
Robina Katushabe, UCU 13:19
4x100m men relays
UCU 42:90
Mak 43:54
Ndejje 44:17
4x400m men relays
UCU 3:21.43
Ndejje 3:22.94
Mak 3:26.54
10,000m men
Joshua Cheptegei, Bugema 29:20.90
Nark Lakwanamoi, Mt Kenya 30:46.26
James Ngandu, Moi, 30:54.04
5,000m men
Joshua Cheptegei, Bugema 14:15.73
Mark Lakwanamoi, Mt Kenya 14:35.76
Bahati Sadik, Ndejje 14:48.82
10,000m women
Faith Keitany, Kenyatta 38:23.53
Janet Kwamboka, Moi 38:48.75
Lillian Anzazi, Bugema 38:55.41
5,000m women,
Lydia Chepkurui, Moi 17:32.02
Faith Keitany, Kenyatta 17:53.00
Lillian Anzazi, Bugema 19:22.62
amwanguhya@@ug.nationmedia.com