Adome banking on Ref Sports tonic for good shift in Morocco

KAMPALA- Pius Adome doesn’t have the swag of the modern sprinters. No pep in his step, no fast-talking, no glitzy armbands and watch and yes, no bling bling! And yet he is the latest sensation of Ugandan athletics.

On May 11, Adome put in a terrific sprint during the fifth National Trials at Mandela National Stadium to set a new 100m National Record (NR) with a dash of 10.43 seconds.

But the calm and collected athlete prefers to talk less about ‘past records’ as he steers most of his talk into the future and greater ambitions.
“I am feeding and training well thanks to Ref Sports, who have taken up my preparations for the last six months,” the 26-year-old student of Language at Makerere University told Daily Monitor during an exclusive interview at Ref Sports’ offices, UMA Show Grounds in Lugogo on Tuesday.
“I was only able to break the record because I changed my diet and training routine after Ref Sports took me under their wings. Now we are working for better things at the African Games scheduled for August 19-31 in Rabat, Morocco.

Adome broke Musa Isabirye’s 10.46 seconds NR that he set last year in Kampala. Before that Moses Mila Mayat had stayed with the record for 20-years after his 10.48 seconds sprint at the All Africa Invitational Championships in Johannesburg, South Africa on March 27, 1998.

But although Adome opts to wade off any praise accorded to him, Ref Sports have continued to pump the volume about their ‘new boy’ as justified by the unveiling of the ‘Adome Sneaker’ – a running spike that the fast-rising athlete will use in training alongside 13 others in the same camp. The camp in question is tutored by Faustino Kiwa and Maurice Mate. “We are proud of him (Adome) because he always does well. He is a true professional and we want to inspire him to do even better,” said Ref Sports Director Mira Kotecha.

“We are a young local brand. We give the best quality available for the best competitive price on the market. We believe in good nutrition, wellness and staying stylish at affordable rates. We are hopeful that our involvement in local sporting activities will help our brand grow, too.”

Ref Sports have already supported the Uganda Tennis Association by offering subsidised rates for the Davis Cup Team that took part in Congo Brazaville Games in June and the inaugural Mwiri League – a soccer event for different cohorts of Busoga College Mwiri. “Sponsorships help in motivation. Ref Sports have done their bit and now I looking at improving my Personal Best (PB) in Rabat. That is a modest goal I am setting for myself,” Adome, disclosed, about his immediate personal goal.

Adome has previously struggled with getting off the blocks but if he can polish that anomaly, a new PB for him will be certain and it will translate into a new NR thus making him a medal prospect for Uganda in Rabat.

REF SPORTS SUPPORTED CAMP
Pius Adome (100m), Modi Shedrick (100m),
Agnes Aneno (400m), Jennifer Nyakato (800m),
Fred Oija (100m/200m), Sam Ekaju (400m),
Maureen Bahura (100m/200m/400m), Yahaya
Malinugu (100m/200m), Emmanuel Osuje
(800m/1500m), Fortunate Turihohabwe
(800m/1500m), Musa Isabirye (100m/200m),
Benson Okot (100m/200m), Edmond Jamonu
(800m/1500m) Maurice Mate (coach).

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