Thirteen athletes are seeking to qualify for the Olympics through the 2024 Senior Africa Athletics Championships, which will take place from June 21 to 26 in Douala, Cameroon.
The team will set off tonight for the event, which serves as the last qualifier for some athletes as the Olympics qualification window closes on June 30th. Uganda has so far qualified 20 athletes for the 2024 Paris Olympics starting in July.
Among the athletes is Shida Leni, who began her career in primary school and has trained extensively in Nairobi and Europe. Speaking at the flag-off, she expressed confidence ahead of the Championships, saying her goal is to qualify for the Olympics in Paris, scheduled from July to August 2024.
“I’m happy that finally, I am going for the African Senior Championships because that is what I have been preparing for,” she said.
“I expect to qualify for the Olympics, and this tournament is the last determinant, with the deadline for Olympic qualifiers being June 30, 2024,” she added.
The President of the Uganda Athletics Federation, Dominic Otucet said that the country was shifting focus to continental competitions having previously put more emphasis on the world stage. He added that the expectation is to secure more places at the Olympics.
“Our major expectation is to fight for medals, and another is to build up for Olympic qualifiers. Shida has only one opportunity to qualify for the Olympics,” he said.