By Norman Katende

UPCOMING athletes will have more to compete for at the first national trials at Namboole on Saturday. The local athletics body UAF has announced that all athletes who will qualify for the Africa Senior track and field championships will travel to Nairobi for the event due in August.

The Namboole trial, which was postponed from last week as the stadium had another function, will mark the beginning of the qualifying events.

UAF secretary Beatrice Ayikoru confirmed that because it is one of the rare opportunities where athletes get international exposure, the federation will give them that opportunity to compete in the event.

A country is allowed to enter a maximum of three athletes per event.
“Since Nairobi is quite near, we are aiming at taking all athletes that hit the qualifying mark. We will also enter the men and women short and long relay teams,” explained Ayikoru yesterday.

Nakibinge and Kakungulu teams were the girls’ and boys’ winners of the Kakungulu Memorial School cross country. It was organised by national coach Ronnie Kasirye on Tuesday.

The annual event is aimed at tapping talent from schools to compete at international events.