Uganda expects medals from Doha

It is 26 years since the IAAF World Athletics Championship started in Helsinki, Finland with more than 1,333 athletes from 153 countries.
But it was not until the 1997 edition in Athens, Greece when the country won its first medal, a silver through Davis Kamoga, in the 400m. Dorcus Inzikuru followed up with the first gold in 3000m steeplechase in the 2005 games in Helsinki. Moses Kipsiro was the next to bring glory to the country with a bronze in 5,000m at the 2007 games in Osaka, Japan.
The next medal was gold in marathon by Stephen Kiprotich at the Moscow Games in 2013. A year earlier, he had won the gold at London Olympics Games.
In the 2015 championship held in Beijing, China, Solomon Mutai won a bronze in the marathon and in 2017, Joshua Cheptegei won silver in the 10,000m. To date, we have won six medals in the championships and the country expects to add to that tally at the end of the 17th edition of the championship.
The 17th edition of the Championship got underway last Friday in Doha, Qatar and Uganda was represented by a strong team of 22 athletes, of which 12 are men.
They will be joined by more than 1,800 athletes from 150 countries.
The men will participate in the long distance events from the 1,500m to marathon and that’s where the country is pinning its hope for medals.
This year, Ronald Musagala (1,500m), Cheptegei (5,000m, 10,000m and X-country) and Jacob Kiplimo (X-country and road racing) have excelled in Europe for the world to take notice.
Add Kiprotich and Mutai, there is cause to instill fear into their rivals.
For the first time, a strong women’s team will participate in the championship, and like their male counterparts, the country’s best medal hopes will come in middle and long distance. Stella Chesang (10,000m), Juliet Chakwel (10,000m) and Winnie Nanyondo (1,500m), who has improved after her step up from 800m, are medal hopeful.
Apart from winning medals, there is prize money to share. Winning gold is worth Shs183.6m ($50,000), silver Shs110m ($30,000) and bronze Shs73m ($20,000).
From fourth to eighth place will also be rewarded with cash prize, while breaking existence world record is worth Shs367m ($100,000).
There is enough incentive for athletes to perform in Doha championship. Its excitement ahead for the next seven days.

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