CGF offers Uganda more slots for 2018 Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has offered Uganda more slots for athletics ahead of the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia.

Dominic Otuchet, President of the Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) said Friday night that CGF has now offered Uganda 23 places instead of the earlier 19.

"This is good news because this gives us an opportunity to take a bigger teams and improves chances of winning more medals," added Otuchet.

But Otuchet added that the athletes will have to make sure they hit the qualifying targets. "We still have several qualifiers till early March and expect several athletes to qualify," added Otuchet.

The 2012 London Olympic Games gold medal winner Stephen Kiprotich and Solomon Munyo Mutai will however all miss the Commonwealth Games.

Kiprotich is concentrating on preparations ahead of the Hamburg Marathon, while Mutai is nursing an injury.

Elijah Njawuzi, the administrator of the Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) confirmed that although some sporting disciplines still have to qualify athletes for the Games, they expect to take a team of about 100.

"Our target is to have 100 athletes with 35 being fully paid for by the organisers CGF. Flying to Australia is not cheap at all and having CGF cater for 35 will help a lot," added Njawuzi.

He said national Netball team that won the Africa Netball Championship and the rugby 7s team have already qualified for the Games, while Uganda will also field athletes in Swimming, badminton, track and field events, boxing, cycling, weightlifting and table tennis.

At the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Scotland, Uganda fielded 86 athletes where Moses Kipsiro won the sole gold medal for the country in the 10,000m race.

Uganda also picked three bronze medals.

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