Although the reception at the Entebbe International airport, Uganda main airport was low-key due to restrictions on crowds amid the Covid-19 pandemic, people lined the Entebbe to Kampala highway to welcome Uganda Olympians who medaled in Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
A heroic Team Uganda arrived back home Tuesday 10 Aug 2021, from the just-concluded Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan, having collectively registered the best performance at any Olympics GAMES, with a historic total of four medals to show for and a second-top spot on the African medals ranking behind Kenya.
Part of the Uganda team included newly crowned Olympic champions Joshua Cheptegei and Peruth Chemutai, who were triumphant in the men’s 5,000m and women’s 3,000m steeplechase, respectively.
Cheptegei also bagged silver in the men’s 10,000m final in Tokyo, a race in which compatriot Jacob Kiplimo was also a medallist – with bronze.
The Uganda Team was received at Entebbe International Airport by officials led by Uganda Minister of State for Sports, Denis Hamson Obua, before making their way to Kampala Coty in a motorcade.
The three medallists – Cheptegei, Chemutai and Kiplimo – stood through the sunroof of the vehicles in which they moved and held up Ugandan flags as they waved to the people lining the Entebbe-Kampala highway to catch a glimpse of their heroes.
They wore their medals around their necks, putting on display the truly deserved fruits of their labour.
Although their reception at the airport was low-key due to restrictions on crowds in these unusual times of a pandemic that has dragged on for more than a year, pockets of people abandoned what they were doing to station themselves at vantage spots on the sidelines of the busy road to view the motorcade.
Some danced in pure elation while others cheered on the Olympic stars as their convoy slalomed from Entebbe Airport to Uganda’s capital.
The Uganda athletes deserved to receive a heroic welcome and recognition for outstanding performances in an Olympics that has faced delays and uncertainties due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo are natives of Kapchorwa in Uganda’s eastern highlands, on Mount Elgon.
Thanks to the influence of 2012 Olympic marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich for his success.
Stephen Kiprotich is the key athlete in Uganda, and Kapchorwa specifically, and a role model for the new generation like Joshua Cheptegei and other youngsters who are coming up now.
Uganda key athletes train at home grounds in Kapchorwa.
Kapchorwa, Uganda Running Holiday and Trip Packages:
Contact Responsible Tourism Company, Uganda responsible tour company for running tour in Mount Elgon in the eastern Ugandan highlands – superb running and hiking experiences!
Book Running Tours with Responsible Tourism Co Ltd at www.responsibletourismcompany.com. Book Now. Best Price Guaranteed
