Uganda like its counterparts Kenya and Ethiopia, has gained considerable popularity in track and long distance races with proof of promising success in Boniface Toroitich Kiprop, Moses Ndiema Kipsiro, Steven Kiprotich, but a few to mention.
And yet the World Mountain Running Championships, a sport not so popular to the country, has made international headlines since 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015 and now 2017, winning the latter Championships held in Italy in July with a topping-six medals.
It represents a different tone; one if tapped with a considerable thought could result in the East African nation becoming a mountain god. Some athletes have dared to make a transition, starting out as mountain and cross-country runners before shifting focus to what is termed as ‘flat running’ a.k.a track and long distance.
The Mountain Running Championships is an international mountain running competition contested by athletes of the members of World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) which is also the sport’s governing body.
Uganda was better represented in the 2017 Championships by the men whose attempts to conquer Italy’s rugged terrain of Premana resulted in a sweep which saw Victor Kiplangat emerge as gold medalist in the senior men’s competition and Oscar Chelimo winning an additional gold for Uganda’s junior men’s team. Risper Jebet won the junior women’s title, a win elusive to the senior team.
Whether or not Uganda plans to highlight the sport remains to be seen how relevant mountain running can be to one of East Africa’s homes of distance running where running has been labeled ‘a big deal’. After all, it is home to one of its finest champions, Kiprotich, the 2012 Olympic marathon gold medalist.
Featured Photo: corsainmontagna.it
