After Joshua Cheptegei failed to turn up while Thomas Ayeko finished a distant seventh in the men’s 5000m final on Thursday, team Uganda registered no podium finish at the Africa Senior Championships that concluded in Morocco.
Uganda had sent five athletes but only Lucy Aber came close to the medal bracket as her best throw of 45.50m ensured she finished fifth overall in the women’s javelin final.
Sprinter Dennis Opio missed the 400m semifinal heats, Maureen Banura’s time of 24.67 could not put her into the women’s 200m final and Ayeko had finished tenth in the 10000m final
This is the seventh time Uganda has failed to win a medal in the competition’s 19 editions. It had lasted happened at the 2008 edition in Addis Ababa.
Uganda also missed out on silverware at the 2004 (Brazzaville), 2000 (Algiers), 1993 (Durban), 1992 (Belle Vue Maurel) and 1984 (Rabat) editions.
The country’s highest tally came at the 1982 edition in Cairo when she won 11 medals (gold, six silvers and four bronze).
Uganda has won 32 medals since the inaugural edition in 1979 Dakar. US-based Sarah Nambawa is Uganda’s most successful athlete at the Championships after she defended her triple jump title in Porto Novo two years ago.
Former 400m hurdler Ruth Kyalisima is the most decorated with three silver medals (one in 100m hurdles) and a bronze. National javelin recorder Justin Arop (RIP) has one gold and two bronze while Moses Kipsiro has gold and silver (10000m) as well as a 5000m silver medal.
2014 TEAM UGANDA RESULTS
Javelin Final: Lucy Aber (5th)
Women’s 200m Semifinal – Heat 2: Maureen Banura (4th)
Men’s 10000m Final: Thomas Ayeko (10th)
Men’s 400m Semifinal – Heat 2: Dennis Opio (DNS)
Men’s 5000m Final: Ayeko (7th), Joshua Cheptegei (DNS)
UGANDA’S MEDAL ITINERARY
2014: None
2012 Porto Novo: Gold & Bronze
2010 Nairobi: Gold & Silver
2008 Addis Ababa: None
2006 Bambous: Gold & Silver
2004 Brazzaville: None
2002 Tunis/Rades: Bronze
2000 Algiers: None
1998 Dakar: Bronze
1996 Yaounde: Silver
1993 Durban: None
1992 Belle Vue Maurel: None
1990 Cairo: Two Silver & Bronze
1988 Annaba: Two Gold, Silver & Bronze
1985 Cairo: Bronze
1984 Rabat: None
1982 Cairo: Gold, Six Silver & Four Bronze
1979 Dakar: Four Bronze
Courtesy of kawowo.com