Parliament will tomorrow move a motion to honor the five Ugandan medalists at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia.
The honour comes in the wake of track and field athletes Joshua Cheptegei Kiprui winning two gold medals and athletics colleagues Stella Chesang (gold), Solomon Mutai (silver) and bronze medalists Mercyline Chelangat (bronze). Boxer Juma Miiro scooped a bronze medal in boxing.
Uganda was ranked 15th after Kenya that was ranked 14th out of 71 countries that took part in the CWG and only 43 countries won medals.
In a related development President Yoweri Museveni has urged ministry of education and sports officials to identify the potential athletes in all regions in a bid to develop sports in Uganda.
Speaking at a function to recognise the outstanding athletes at State House, Entebbe, Museveni lauded the young sports personalities for their exceptional performances at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast-Australia.
At the function, Museveni, accompanied by First Lady and Sports Minister Janet Museveni, told a delegation of over 300 officials from Kapchorwa, Kween and Bukwo districts, that the high-altitude training center in Kapchorwa district would be completed to facilitate sports. The greater Sebei region, home to four of the five Ugandan medalists, is a bastion for track and field athletes in Uganda, producing among others Olympic and World marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich and multiple championships’ medalist Moses Kipsiro.
In a related development, the Uganda Police last week promoted gold medalists Joshua Cheptegei and Stella Chelangat from the rank of Special Police Constable (SPC) to Inspector of Police (IP). Bronze medalist Mercyline Chelangat was promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector of Police (AIP). The three athletes belong to the Uganda Police Sports Club.
