World Para Athletics: Uganda targets Paralympic qualification

David Emong will be glad to win any medal at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships but will be disappointed if that medal does not guarantee his return to Paris for the 2024 Paralympic Games.

The same applies to Emong’s teammates Fred Masisa, who will launch his campaign in the 100m T11 Heats on Friday and Peace Oroma, who will try her second luck in the Women's 400m T13 heats on Sunday, the same day 2017 World Champion Emong runs the 1500m T46 final.

“It’s going to be Fred’s first time in the World Championship but according to the way he has been training, he can achieve in Paris,” Innocent Tumwesigye, the Uganda Paralympic Committee general secretary told Daily Monitor.

“Our main target is qualifying for the 2024 Paralympics.”

Tumwesigye, Emong and Masisa will join Oroma and Coach Jameson Ssenkungu in the French capital today.

On Monday, Oroma became the first Ugandan woman to run at the World Para Athletics Championships but finished the Women’s 1550 T13 race in 5th place in 4:39.59 minutes.

It was a personal best, and well inside the Minimum Entry Standard time of 5:31.00 minutes for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games but she missed out because her four rivals posted better times.

Hence Morocco’s Fatima El Idrissi, who took gold with a Championship Record of 4:22.15 minutes; USA’s Liza Corso, who took silver; Tunisia’s Somaya Bousaid, who took bronze and Ireland’s Greta Streimikyte all qualified for the 2024 Paralympics.

UGANDA’S SCHEDULE & QUALIFYING TIMES

FRED MASISA

Friday, July 14

100m T11 Heats (MES: 11.90 seconds)

PEACE OROMA

Women's 400m T13 Heats

Sunday, July 16 (MES: 1:09.00 minutes)

DAVID EMONG

Men’s T46, 1500m Final

Sunday, July 16 (MES: 4:20.00 minutes)

*MES: Minimum Entry Standard