As the year 2018 draws to a close, we look back at some of the most notable sports events that took place in Uganda and all-over the world;
ATHELTICS: Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei completed the double by winning the men’s 10,000m after his 5,000m gold at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Australia in April.
Cheptegei became the third in history to win the double at the Commonwealth Games. The last Ugandan to achieve the feat was Moses Kipsiro at the Delhi Games in 2010.
Stella Chesang is another Ugandan who won Gold in the women’s 10000m (25 laps) final after clocking a time of 31:45.30. Mercyline Chelangat picked up Bronze after finishing third in the same race.
NETBALL: The She Cranes qualified for 2019 Netball World Cup in August. They beat Zambia 64-52 at the International Youth Olympic Center in Lusaka in August to book the third African slot. They went on to win the 2018 Africa Netball Championship undefeated.
Uganda will be making her third appearance at the Netball World Cup after 2015 and 1979 appearances. The tournament will be staged at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, England in July 2019.
In September, Uganda won the World University Netball title. Uganda hosted the tournament and edged South Africa 44-43 in the final minutes of the tension packed final at Makerere University’s new indoor facility.
RUGBY: The Black Pirates side won all the silverware available in the 2017/18 season, winning the Uganda Cup, National rugby league and the National Sevens. They defeated Betway Kobs to be crowned the Nile Special Premier Rugby League champions with a 27-12 score line.
FOOTBALL: On 17th November, Uganda Cranes qualified for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations after beating Cape Verde 1-0 in Kampala. Uganda had spent nearly 40 years failing to qualify for the Nations Cup, but will now contest back-to-back tournaments for the first time since the seventies.
On March 17, KCCA FC beat Ethiopia’s St. George 1-0 at the StarTimes Stadium to advance on a 1-0 goal aggregate and become the first Ugandan club to ever advance to the group stages of the Champions League. Muhammad Shaban scored the only goal.
In May, Vipers SC won the 2017/18 Uganda Premier League with a 4-1 win over army side UPDF FC at the St Marys Kitende stadium. KCCA FC who needed a win to retain the trophy finished second after they could only manage a two all draw against police FC. SC Villa finished third.
KCCA defeated Vipers 1-0 in the Stanbic Uganda Cup final to be champions in a game that was played at Emokori ground in Bukedea district. Julius Poloto was the hero of the day heading in from an Allan Okello cross.
Vipers Sports Club midfielder Moses Waiswa beat KCCA FC’s Allan Okello and Onduparaka’s Vianey Ssekajugo to be crowned Male Footballer of the year in the 2018 Airtel FUFA awards.
Uganda women’s football team, The Crested Cranes, emerged third at the 2018 COSAFA Women’s Championship after registering a hard fought 1-0 win over Zambia at Wolfson stadium in South Africa.
Uganda’s under 17 football team known as ‘Cubs’ won the CECAFA U-17 tournament to qualify for the 2019 Total CAF U17 Africa cup of nations to be played in Tanzania. They are in Group A alongside Tanzania, Angola and Nigeria.
Cameroon lost the 2019 AFCON hosting rights due to unpreparedness. The new host nation will be chosen between South Africa and Egypt on 9th January 2019.
CRICKET: In October, the Uganda Cricket Association were awarded the hosting rights for ICC World T20 Africa regional finals for qualification towards ICC World T20 2020 global qualifiers in May 2019. Six teams will compete at the 2019 ICC World Twenty20 Africa Regional Finals in Kampala. The top 2 teams will advance to global qualifiers for 2020 ICC World T20 in Australia.
USPA: Patrick Kanyomozi was elected president of Uganda Sports Press Association (USPA). Kanyomozi has been serving as USPA secretary-general before competing for the association’s top position. He garnered 64 votes, accounting to 55% of the total votes cast. Aliguma got 36 votes and Mpoza was voted 16 times.
INTERNATIONALLY: In July, France won the 2018 Fifa World Cup overcoming Croatia 4-2 in a bold challenge in a thrilling final in Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, Russia.
On April 20, Arsene Wenger made a surprise announcement that he will leave Arsenal Football Club at the end of the season after almost 22 years at the club having won three Premier League titles and a record seven Football Association Cups.
Real Madrid’s Croatia midfielder Luka Modric was named the winner of the 2018 Ballon d’Or breaking Cristiano Ronaldo’s and Lionel Messi’s decade-long hold on the prestigious award.
On 18th December, Manchester United announced that they parted company with their manager Jose Mourinho after two-and-a-half years in charge leaving them in sixth on 26 points after 17 matches, their worst start to a PL campaign.