Modern pentathlon banks on forces, schools to thrive

With one eye on major competitions, including the Olympics, Modern Pentathlon has announced its arrival in Uganda.

During the second annual general assembly on Saturday in the Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) boardroom, delegates assembled to lay out plans for the oldest Olympic Sport, which was however introduced in Uganda by Simon Peter Komakech in 2017.

Since then the top managers have been doing groundwork including preparing the paperwork to register with the National Council of Sports (NCS), resource mobilisation and athlete development.

Komakech, a taekwondo trainer, explained that last year, he was elected a board member of the African body, Confederation of Modern Pentathlon (CAPM).

“Our first priority is to get recognition from the NCS because right now we have enough capacity to start introducing the sport across the country,” he said.

The sport has prepared a series of events including the Laser Run City Tours and the Biathle-Triathle national tour from which they expect to create more awareness. The biggest event will be the familiarisation tour to Egypt where they will take two athletes to learn the sport.

“Our target is to have the forces because it can test their resilience. They run, meet obstacles they have to beat and reach the end. It will be a very good idea to have the forces on board and participate actively,” Komakech said.

Komakech explains that they are focused on mass participation with the focus of working with international schools and forces.
“It becomes easy for us to get athletes who already know how to swim. They can then be introduced to fencing such that they can now be able to do laser run. For now we are going to do head hunting,” he says.

Laser run includes running and shooting. They have in the past introduced it at the French School in Kololo and Gulu. Children don’t go horse jumping, an activity that could be replaced by the international federation with other activities, most probably cycling, because it is expensive.

Modern pentathlon will be at the 2024 Paris Olympics and Komakech is optimistic that after the tour to Egypt, they will have enough time to prepare for the Olympics in Paris.
“Our local competitions will be boosted by international events which will allow us to prepare for bigger events,” he said.

In modern pentathlon, an athlete can choose to swim, run and shoot or swim, fence and shoot or do all the four for youth players. For adults, they can do the five events including horse jumping.
The federation requires Shs233m to run their activities.

Modern pentathlon    clubs in Uganda
Elite Club -     Kampala
Cheetah –         Kampala
Kisubi Pirates -     Entebbe
Diliwo Kinsmen –     Kampala
Jiji Club –         Ntinda
Uganda Police
Uganda Prisons
Rwenzorians –     Kansanga

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