Uganda participated at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England between 28 July and 8 August 2022, making its sixteenth appearance at the Games. Uganda garnered three gold medals and two silver medals making a total of five medals. Gold medalists were victor Kiplangat in the men’s marathon on 30th July, Jacob Kiplimo got two gold medals in the men’s 10,000m on 2nd August, and in the men’s 5000m on 6th August. Whereas Silver medalists were Peruth Chemutai in the women’s 300m steeplechase on 5th August, and Teddy Nakimuli in boxing women’s light flyweight on 6th August.
The 22-year-old Victor Kiplangat became the first Ugandan to win a gold medal in a marathon at the commonwealth games.
“The race was very fine and I was very comfortable in today’s race. Nowadays when someone is moving ahead of you, you are worried because you don’t know someone’s strength and you’re saying let me follow him and I try. If they follow my pace, I remain behind, but when I reach 30 or 32 I say let me try my best.”
Kiplangat was briefed about the hilly terrain of the coast and made good use of this information while preparing. “When I was training in Kapchorwa I was training in hilly areas.”
Kiplangat also explained that although he felt some pain in his right leg towards the last kilometres, it did not stop him from pushing for the gold medal. “When I saw the finishing line, my mind was saying, I don’t believe this. Because when I reached 39, my right leg was paining me seriously.”
Kiplagat’s greatest inspiration was from the encouragement messages sent by his family members, wife and home pastor. And he was encouraged and given some tactics by his colleague Kiplimo and chaptered before the games. This made him aim for the gold.
The Double gold medalist winner Jacob Kiplimo came into the games in terrific form after clinching Bronze in Tokyo (Olympics) and Eugene (World Championships). Last year, he set the seventh fastest time ever at the distance when he clocked 26:33.93 in Ostrava. And he targeted to live to the billing when the starter’s gun sounded in Birmingham. Kiplimo emulated compatriot Joshua Cheptegei in 2018 in achieving the distance double, timing 13min 08.08sec. Island athlete Rosefelo Siosi completed his race more than four minutes after Kiplimo had finished.
“It was a wonderful performance for me,” said Kiplimo. “I have two (gold medals) and I’m so happy about it.”
Peruth Chemutai won bronze after finishing third in the 3000m Steeplechase final at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham that ended Monday, August 8th. The Olympic Champion could have had a good go at Gold but fell when she crashed over the barrier. But she showed a strong heart to fight on before coming home in a time of 9 minutes and 23.24 seconds.
According to Chemutai, she wasn’t in good shape this season which also affected her performance. “Last year I was in good shape in the Olympics but now actually I am not in good shape, but I will try in the finals.” Says Chemutai after emerging 5th in the Olympics.
However, naming her among the top three winners was one of the most emotional moments of the commonwealth games as she broke down into tears.
Nakimuli, 20, was selected after her victory against Jalia Nali in week 13 of the Champions League at the MTN Arena-Lugogo, being the first woman in history to represent Uganda at the commonwealth games, a dream she says come true.
Born on March 3rd, 2002 to George Kamya and Ritah Nakatongole in Entebbe Wamala, Nakimuli did not see boxing as a priority until 2018 when she started training with the University of Pain boxing club in Ndeeba, Kampala.
She says that the decision to enrol at the Ndeeba-based boxing club was triggered by her uncle with advice from renowned boxer Sula Segawa, who pushed her to start a career in boxing.
A few months later, Nakimuli made her amateur debut in the 2019 National Open where she won a gold medal and emerged the overall best female youth boxer.
Asked whether she feels the pressure on her back, being the first-ever woman to represent the country at the games, the pugilist said she has no pressure, adding that her only wish is to have a great performance on her debut on the international scene.
Eddie Kawere, the head coach of the University of pain gym applauded Nakimuli’s determination and predicted victory for the flyweight boxer because of her potential.
Adding that “She is young and determined, she can win a medal because she is in the good age bracket. A commonwealth medal is easy to win compared to that of Olympics, she has what it takes to win it”.
Nakimuli underwent serious training in a residential training camp at Forest Park in Buloba before flying out for the final games.
One of her pre-game activities was to engage in the Mountain Kilimanjaro Boxing championship where she won a silver medal.
As a dream come true, Nakimuli has won a silver medal being the first Ugandan woman to bring a boxing medal from the commonwealth games.
