Museveni demands endurance in CWG Gold Coast medal quest
Presidential flag off. President Museveni (C) flagged off the Gold Coast-bound Ugandan contingent at the State House in Entebbe on Thursday evening and urged the team to be disciplined and cooperative in their quest to win medals for the nation. COURTESY PHOTO
What you need to know:
- Athletes will earn $100 (Shs363,000) per day for 14 days while in Australia.
- This will guarantee each athlete about Shs5m for the period they will be away.
- Also, Shs2m was earmarked as training allowance for each Ugandan athlete.
- The first batch of athletes left yesterday.
ENTEBBE. President Museveni implored Uganda’s Commonwealth Games team to endure any tough conditions that await them in Gold Coast Australia.
The team of 69 athletes, with men dressed in traditional kanzus and women in gomesis, were hosted at State House, Entebbe for a luncheon and official flag of on Thursday.
The quadrennial games run from April 4-15. Uganda’s contingent comprises boxers, badminton players, cyclists, swimmers, squash, rugby and netball. Others were shooting, table tennis and weight lifting. In his speech, President Museveni borrowed from his days of the five-year guerilla war that brought him to power in 1986. “A sportsman must be fit, disciplined, be strategic, must be cooperative and have endurance. You must have a character of endurance,” he said.
Adding that; “When 27 people went to the bush and defeated a big Army, it was due to endurance. These qualities are not only applicable to sports but in all spheres of life.” He handed over the flag from middle distance athlete Winnie Nanyondo, A total of 70 Commonwealth countries with 6,000 sports men and women are participating. The government has aided the team to the tune of Shs3.2b.
Good allowances
Athletes will earn $100 (Shs363,000) per day for 14 days while in Australia. This will guarantee each athlete about Shs5m for the period they will be away.
Also, Shs2m was earmarked as training allowance for each Ugandan athlete. The first batch of athletes left yesterday.
The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, thanked God for enabling the delegation travel abroad to represent Uganda in the global games.
State Minister for Sports, Charles Bakabulindi, revealed that their target was to win medals as part of preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
