Nassau, Bahamas | THE INDEPENDENT | ThreeUgandan teenagers are in Bahamas to fly the country’s flag at the Commonwealth Youth Games that started on Tuesday.
Uganda has a rich history in the Commonwealth Youth Games, having won 14 medals in track and field athletics at the last three games in Samoa in 2015, Isle of Man in 2011 and in Pune India in 2008.
In Bahamas, athlete Josephine Lalam Joyce, 16 will compete in the girls discuss on Friday, a few hours after Sarah Chelangat,16 featuring in the girls 1500m Thursday.
The other Ugandan is swimmer Atuhaire Ogola Ambala, 16 , who will feature in the boys 200m freestyle at 5.30pm and breastroke at 6pm today. He will also feature in the longer 400m races later.
More than 1,000 young athletes will take part in the sixth edition of the Commonwealth Youth Games between 18 and 23 July.
It is the first time in more than 50 years that a Commonwealth Games event of any kind has been held in the Caribbean, the last being in 1966 in Kingston, Jamaica.
The participants, aged between 14 and 18, will represent each of the 52 Commonwealth countries (or 70 participating national teams) and will compete in nine sports events over the course of six days.
The 2017 Games will feature three new sports, beach soccer, judo and beach volleyball whilst dropping archery, lawn bowls, weightlifting, and squash. Cycling will also make a return during these games.
Chef de mission Godfrey Nuwagaba after the @Bahamas2017Cyg Delegation Registration Meeting in Bahamas @thecgf @insidethegames @william_blick pic.twitter.com/FUfzn4NGpM
— NOC UGANDA (@Official_UOC) July 17, 2017
UOC and Athletics official Godfrey Nuwagaba and UOC’s Jacqueline Nakiddu are leading the Ugandan team.
Great Commonwealth history for Uganda
Uganda has a rich history at the youth level, especially in athletics where the Commonwealth Youth Games have introduced the likes of Halimah Nakaayi to the big stage. The games were first held in Edinburgh in 2000 with Uganda getting onto the medal scene in a big way in Pune, India in 2008.
Commonwealth medals for Uganda
2015
Apia Samoa – Two Silver, two bronze.
Athletics – Peruth Chemutai silver in girls 1500m and 3000m
Athletics – Janat Chamutso bronze in girls 1500m and 3000m
2011
Isle of Man – 1 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze
Athletics – Halimah Nakaayi 400m gold
Athletics – Phillip Kipyeko bronze 3000m
Athletics – Zac Kiprotich silver 2000m SC
Athletics – Nancy Cheptegei 3000m silver
Athletics – Nancy cheptgeri 2000m sc silver
2008
Pune, India – 1 Gold, 4 silver
Athletics – Elvis Ukale silver 400m
Athletics – Alex cherop silver 1500m
Athletics – Moses Kibet gold 5000m
Athletics – Dickson Huru silver 5000m
Athletics – Doreen Chesang silver 3000m
Bahamian music stars, Junkanoo carnival celebrations, marching bands and a good luck message from HM The Queen: https://t.co/uC5Z5jyau3 pic.twitter.com/PIRceEMDxL
— Commonwealth Games (@thecgf) July 19, 2017
RESULTS UPDATE : 200m swimming freestyle