ISF World School Cross Country: Uganda’s standout performance takes center stage

The Ngong race course was the venue for the much anticipated event that saw Uganda among the 8 African countries to take part.

Nigeria, Namibia, Morocco, Tanzania,Kenya,Rwanda and hosts Kenya were the other African countries present.

Kenya had a clean sweep of all individual except for one, where Uganda won a bronze in boys under 15 while for team rankings Uganda came second in all categories behind hosts Kenya except for the boys Under 15 where Morocco managed a second finish and Uganda third.

Uganda had the second biggest number of participants (44) behind hosts Kenya (78) participants of the total number of 481 athletes that took part in various representing 21 delegations from 5 continents.

Ugandan Captain Chebet Faith was grateful to have taken part in the event but advised her colleagues out there to take training lot more seriously.

“We should keep working hard when training because the competition we face is very talented and the only way we can beat them at races is by performing at our level best”.

This marks the first time the ISF Cross Country Championship has been held in Africa and featured competitions across three age groups: U18, U15, and U12, within a single championship.

President Ruto thanked the East African neighbors of Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda for being a part of this event.

Kenyan President Mr. William Ruto delivered a speech at the event, extending a warm welcome to the visiting participants and congratulating the winning athletes.

“What we have here today is not just a competition. It is a celebration of our diversity, a celebration of our children, and a celebration of our talents. The children that have participated in this celebration, from different countries, from different cultures, from different parts of the world, have come together to compete in one race, to demonstrate our humanity, to demonstrate our oneness, and to confirm that the world is becoming a global village, and we all belong to that village.” Said His Excellency William Ruto, the president of the Republic of Kenya.

Kenya had a clean sweep of all individual except for one, where Uganda won a bronze in boys under 15.

While for team rankings Uganda came second in all categories behind hosts Kenya except for the boys Under 15 where Morocco managed a second finish and Uganda third.

The World school sports body has 134 members and 36 of these countries are from Africa.

Founded in 1972, the International School Sport Federation (ISF) is an international non-profit sport organization, acting as the umbrella organization and governing body for national school sport organizations around the world, organizing sport, and educational events for youth from 12 to 18 years old.

ISF has 134 members across all continents and 36 of these countries are from Africa.

Team Rankings

Girls Under 12

Gold-Kenya

Silver-Uganda

Bronze- Tanzania

Boys Under 12

Gold-Kenya

Silver-Uganda

Bronze-Nigeria

Girls Under 15

Gold- Kenya