The countdown to the Olympic Games has begun, with the prestigious event set to take place in Paris, France, from July 26 to August 11.
In a historic move, World Athletics, the global governing body for track and field sports, announced that each gold medalist in track and field events will receive a cash prize of $50,000 (Shs185m). This marks the first time that athletes at the Olympics will receive cash prizes from World Athletics.
World Athletics, which oversees sports such as track and field, road running, and race walking, has allocated a total prize pot of $2.4 million (Shs 8.8 billion) from its revenue share with the International Olympic Committee. This means that individual track and field athletes will be eligible for a $50,000 (Shs 185m) payout if they secure a gold medal.
Uganda will be represented by a team of 25 athletes in Paris, including 21 track and field athletes, a rower, a cyclist, and two swimmers. The country’s realistic hopes for gold rest on the shoulders of Joshua Cheptegei, Jacob Kiplimo, who will compete in the 5,000m and 10,000m events, and Peruth Chemutai, who will participate in the 3000m Steeplechase.
Uganda has a rich Olympic history, with four gold medals won to date. The first gold medal was secured by John Akii-Bua at the 1972 Games in Munich, followed by Stephen Kiprotich’s victory at the 2012 Olympics in London. Joshua Cheptegei and Peruth Chemutai added to the country’s tally with their gold medals at the Tokyo 2020 edition three years ago.
