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Lomuria wins mega bike race in Kenya
Paul Lomuria being rewarded for his triumph in the Great Nairobi Bike Race. PHOTO/COURTSEY
What you need to know:
The race had competitive and family-fun categories. The elite riders competed in the 48km Black Mamba road race, the PwD race covering 48km, and the 80km main race.
Uganda’s rising star rider Paul Lomuria is the winner of the 75km elite category of the Great Nairobi Bike Race that was held on Sunday. Dutch Kenyan-based triathlete Berber Kramer won the women’s race.
Lomuria, 21, from Jinja, a member of 1moreChild Cycling Club, who has been competing in the UCI World Championships, made an impression during the Great Nairobi Bike Race that attracted more than 1,500 riders from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Congo, Tanzania, and South Sudan, among other 20 countries.
“It has been my prayer that one day I will be out of school and I will be able to fund myself racing in the professional level and that starts from today," Lomuria, who has just completed his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations, said.
The race had competitive and family-fun categories. The elite riders competed in the 48km Black Mamba road race, the PwD race covering 48km, and the 80km main race.
Jordan Sekanwagi was the other Ugandan winner in the U23 category after coming third overall in the elite category behind Kenyan Geoffrey Langat. Charles Kagimu was fourth.
Dawson Ssenabulya was second in the Black Mamba category which was won by Kenyan Peter Kamau. All elite Ugandan riders are based in Kenya.
Resilient
Uganda sent a strong team of 50 riders funded by Jubilee Insurance, the title sponsor of the race.
Jubilee Life Insurance CEO Summit Guarav said the event provided an opportunity for the Ugandan riders to showcase their skills at the international level.
“Riding is a tough challenge but it demonstrates the spirit of resilience and determination that characterises our company,” Summit said earlier during the event to flag off the team on Friday in Kampala.
Caroline Ndungu, the Head of Marketing - Jubilee in Nairobi said that cycling is the ultimate sport to back in order to achieve their aims.
"It is a sport to get behind because it cuts across age, classes, geography, and it is spot on in terms of our agendas such as living free, health, mental wellness, and to a certain extent, protection of the environment,” Ndungu said.
Uganda’s team returned on Monday by road.
2023 Jubilee Live Free Race
Select Ugandan riders
Elite category: Paul Lomuria & Berber Kramer
U23: Jordan Sekanwagi (winner)
Black mamba: Dawson Ssenabulya (second)
