Chelangat, Kiprop victorious in season opener

Saturday's National Cross Country Championships at Tororo Golf Club kicked off the season and launched the Uganda Athletics Federation's (UAF) centennial celebrations.

The UAF, founded in 1925, will celebrate 100 years of athletics with events throughout the year, culminating in June at Mandela National Stadium Namboole with the Akii Bua Memorial.

The championships also included a Masters race, where Nation Media Group’s ultramarathon runner Andrew Mwanguhya competed.

Best yet to come

Even a hand injury sustained during training couldn't stop Sarah Chelangat, Uganda's 10,000m national record holder, from dominating the senior women's race. She led from the start, finishing over a minute ahead of her nearest competitor.  Chelangat also showcased her resilience by winning silver in the mixed relays.

"I'm happy because I won this race," she said. "It's not the last one because we have big races ahead in the season. I hope for the best in the next events."

The Kapchorwa-based athlete is using these races as preparation for a busy season, including the world and African championships, the World Cross Country, and the Diamond League.

A thrilling finish highlighted the senior men's race at Tororo, where Kenneth Kiprop edged out Abel Kibet by a single second. Kiprop's winning time was 28 minutes, 28 seconds. 

The absence of several top runners made the race unpredictable. 

"This race wasn't easy to win because of the heat and competition," said Kiprop, the U20 World Championship bronze medalist. "I was expecting to be among the top two at least." 

The leading pack stayed together until the third lap when a group of five broke away. Kiprop's final sprint secured him the top place. 

"I was happy with how the race started. It gave me hope of winning because they were not very fast. It was easy to keep up with the pace," he said.

While the race was 71 seconds slower than Jacob Kiplimo's 2019 course record, Kiprop felt the pace was very challenging.

Inspirational Nakaayi

Maureen Chebet of Uganda Prisons won the mixed relays race with a powerful kick, finishing in 24 minutes and four seconds. However, the race also featured a notable appearance from middle-distance star Halimah Nakaayi, who finished third behind Chebet and Sylvia Chelangat.

Nakaayi emphasised her goal of inspiring young athletes.

"We're only opening our season, and I'm really happy to have been here in Tororo to be part of the Cross Country championship," she said. "My main objective here was to inspire the younger generation." 

Nakaayi is also gearing up for a busy World Indoor season, culminating in the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

"I'm progressing well, and I believe it's going to be a great season for me. I will be doing some races in Europe to prepare for the World Indoor championships," she said.

Go slow on medication

UAF president Dominic Otucet has issued a strong warning to athletes about their conduct, citing the recent good performances globally, especially in distance running, that are attracting the attention of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the Athletics Integrity Unit. 

"We need to take precautions, especially in whatever we take in terms of nutrition and medicine," Otucet emphasised. "We're called upon to do doping tests in and out of competition. We remind you to be mindful of your whereabouts. When you change your location, you have to indicate that they are aware of where to find you when they come looking for you. Some athletes have failed doping tests by simply changing their whereabouts." 

His warning comes after Janat Chemusto was recently banned for four years in 2023 after testing positive for 19-Norandrosterone, a stark reminder of the consequences of doping.