Uganda first participated in the Olympics in 1956 with a three-person team. Now, over sixty years later, Uganda has a team of twenty-five athletes participating in Tokyo in rowing, swimming, boxing, and athletics. This years Olympics is unconventional due to Covid, but that hasn’t stopped Uganda’s athletes from putting their best forward. At the opening of the games, Bwogi Shadiri and Namutebi Kirabo represented the country as flagbearers, and returned to carry their flag at the closing of the Olympic games on Sunday, August 8. Shadiri is a boxer in the games, having taken up the sport in 2009 with his father’s encouragement. Kirabo is participating as a swimmer for the country. She won the World Junior Championships in 2019.
This year, Uganda’s team made history winning four medals, the most ever in a single Olympics for the country. Uganda won their last medal (gold) in 2012 Olympics in London. This is the first time since the Munich games in 1972 that the country has won more than two medals in any single Olympics.
Joshua Cheptegei ran a fabulous race to win gold in the Men’s 5,000m beating out Mohamed Ahmed (Canada) and Paul Chelimo (USA). In the 10,000m Cheptegei claimed the silver medal in a close finish behind Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega. His teammate Jacob Kiplimo took the bronze medal. Joshua’s story is one of redemption. He participated in the 2017 World Cross Country Championship, which took place in Uganda, and placed a disappointing 30th. Just five months later Joshua would go on take the silver in London during the 2017 World Championships. And now he holds two Olympic medals with a bright future ahead in sport.
Jacob Kiplimo has been greatly influenced by his older brothers, who were also runners. Jacob developed a passion for the sport and aims to one day break a record for the 10000 meter. Both men are from Kapchorwa, Uganda, and were inspired by their families to pursue the sport. Today, they have become Olympians holding medals for Uganda.
Chemutai Peruth ran an incredible race taking gold in the Women’s 3000m Steeplechase final (9.01.45), beating out the veteran American runner Courtney Frerichs (silver) and Kenya’s Hyvin Kiyeng (bronze). She became the first Ugandan female to ever win a gold medal! Winnie Nanayondo participated in the Women’s 1500m placing 7th only 6 seconds from the gold medal time, which was an Olympic record. And Kathleen Grace Noble made it to the semi-finals of the women’s 5000m single scull event. All in all, it was a fantastic showing for the Ugandan team hopefully inspiring the next generation of young athletes in the country!
Wondering how you can help children in Uganda achieve their dreams? Support the poor rural children in Tororo, Uganda by offering prayers, donating today, or sharing this story with others. Perhaps you will be supporting Uganda’s next Olympian!