Emong, Oroma qualify for World Championships in Paris

Oroma (2nd R) is the first Ugandan woman to qualify for the World Para Athletics Championships. PHOTO/COURTSEY 

What you need to know:

Oroma is the first Ugandan woman to qualify for the World Para Athletics Championships.

World champion David Emong and Peace Oroma got the nod to compete at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championship after finishing second in a qualifier event in Marrakech, Morocco.

Emong, who won gold in London 2017 in the 1500m T46 race but was disqualified in Dubai 2019, has the chance to make amends in Paris.

At the Seventh International Para Athletics Meet in Marrakech, last week, Emong won silver in the 800m and was fifth in his favourite 1500m race in 4:13:02, both qualifying him for the World Championship in Charlety Stadium in Paris, France, due July 8 to 17.

Meanwhile, Peace Oroma won silver in the 400m T13, and bronze in the 1500m T13, qualifying for both events in Paris.

“Marrakech was largely a successful mission because two of our four athletes qualified for the Worlds,” national coach James Ssenkungu, who took the team to Marrakech, told Daily Monitor on the phone.

Now Oroma is the first Ugandan woman to qualify for the World Para Athletics Championships.

If both athletes compete at Paris it will enhance their qualifying chances for the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games and test themselves at the venue that will also host the Games.

Rookie Gad Tumusiime missed qualification by 25 seconds in the 1500m T11 but his achievement was passing the classification test, thus entering the IPC World Para Athletics database.

“He is now a certified T11 athlete which opens doors for his huge potential.”

Tumusiime, Richard Ocira, who missed qualifying for the 1500m and 800m T54 wheelchair races and Fred Masisa, who has a good current time but didn’t travel to Marrakech, could qualify for the Worlds if they participate in other events in  

Italy and Mexico but Ssenkungu said that will depend on government funding.