Ugandan junior riders for history in Romania
Katende Brothers - Miguel Katende (3) and Jonathan Katende(2) - are in Romania to represent Team Uganda. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
Gift Ssebuguzi and the Katende brothers of Joel and Jonatha were flagged off to the Romanian capital of Bucharest this week although their compatriot, Larry Ssekamwa, couldn’t travel after his school exams got in the way of visa processing
Three young Ugandan motocross riders are in the Romanian capital of Bucharest this weekend where history beckons.
Gift Ssebuguzi (85cc) and the Katende brothers of Joel and Jonathan (65cc) will become the first Team Uganda to ever compete at a youth global showpiece when the 2023 FIM Junior Motocross World Championship gets underway on Friday, July 7. It ends on Sunday.
The trio were selected for the global championship after impressive performances at the fourth round of the Mountain Dew National Motocross Championship held at Kyakaigo Sports Arena in Fort Portal, Kabarole District in May.
They were flagged off at Entebbe International Airport on Tuesday by the vice president Federation of Motorsport Clubs of Uganda (FMU), Kisitu Mayanja.
“We thank the parents of our young riders for all the sacrifices they make to make this possible,” said Mayanja.
“It’s unfortunate, we missed out on the services of Larry Ssekamwa on the team due to visa challenges, but I am confident the team will raise our flag high.”
Ssekamwa qualified for the world championship together with Ssebuguzi and the Katende brothers but because of visa issues, he has not made the trip.
According to his father, Eddy Ssekamwa, “Larry had just changed schools and last week when he had to travel with the team to Nairobi to get a visa to Romania, he was sitting his exams.”
He added: “The other children (they go to different schools) travelled and got their visas but the Romanian Embassy in Nairobi insisted on Larry being there in person.
“There will always be another time but we trust our boys Gift, Joel and Jonathan to represent us well.”
Chief-de-mission and father to the Katende brothers, George Ssemakula Katende, is also hopeful the boys will make an impression.
“They are very excited and think all the hard work they have put in over time will pay off, but whichever way you look at it, it is historic,” he said.
“The boys feel it’s a big event, which it is, but the main target is to qualify first for the final race. After that, the rest can follow.”
2023 FIM Junior Motocross World Championship in Romania
Dates: July 7-9
Ugandan team to Bucharest
MX 65
Jonathan Katende
Joel Katende
MX 85
Gift Ssebuguzi
