Gold medalist Kipsiro takes Nile-Uspa award for August
Kipsiro destroying Kenyan runners on his way to gold in New Delhi in 2010. He repeated the trick in Glasgow last month. Photo by AFP
What you need to know:
All Sport. Kipsiro wrote history by becoming the first athlete to defend a 10,000m title at the Commonwealth Games.
KAMPALA- Commonwealth gold medalist Moses Kipsiro was yesterday morning unanimously crowned the Nile Special-Uganda Sports Press Association (Uspa) personality for the month of August during the journalists’ meeting at Imperial Royale Hotel.
It was an award he was expected to win. Yet few expected the 28-year-old to win a medal at the Glasgow Games after suffering injuries prior to the games.
The Ugandan defended his Commonwealth 10,000m title with a blockbuster finish beating Kenyan Josphat Bett by 0.03 seconds and Canada’s Cameron Levins by 0.12 seconds.
Kipsiro, who secured the 5,000m and 10,000m double in Delhi 2010, edged clear with virtually his final stride of the 25-lap race to win in a time of 27min 56.11sec.
He became the first athlete in the history of the Commonwealth Games to retain the 10,000m gold and since coming back he has decided to take a long break to recover from injuries and plot for an anticipated switch to marathon races next season.
During the monthly meeting, the scribes also commended athlete Winnie Nanyondo for winning a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games women 800m final as well as boxers Fazil Juma Kaggwa and Mike Ssekabembe respectively for scooping bronze medals.
Uganda Golf Team, that won the just concluded 16th Johnnie Walker East Africa Golf Challenge Trophy (EAGCT) at the par-71 Entebbe Golf Club course, was also commended. Basketball teams City oilers and KCCA Leopards, rally pair of Omar Mayanja and Leon Ssenyange and the U-19 Rugby Team all received a commendation.
Meanwhile, Uspa boss Mark Namanya also confirmed that the annual Uspa church service to pray for the souls of their fallen members at Christ the King, will take place on September 18 while the Road safety campaign to be held in Entebbe, is scheduled for September 20.
Both functions will be graced by International Sports Press Association (AIPS) President Gianni Merlo who will visit Uganda for the first time. He arrives in the country on September 17.
