One day to go to Olympic Day: Olympic Education Week puts focus on Uganda’s Youth Leaders

22 | 6 | 2016

More than 8,000 children and young people will gather at one of the oldest schools in Africa, Kings College Budo, founded in 1906, to celebrate Olympic Day in Uganda. The Uganda Olympians Association (UOA) and the Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) are teaming up to host a day of physical, educational and cultural activities at the historic school on the outskirts of the capital city, Kampala.

Over 20 Ugandan Olympians led by reigning Olympic Marathon champion and London 2012 gold medallist Stephen Kiprotich, will attend the event.  The Olympians are responding to the call of the global Olympic Movement to get active, spread the Olympic values and encourage people to enjoy the many benefits of sport. Among the other Olympians involved are:

• Ganzi Mugula – President of the Uganda Olympians Association and London 2012 swimmer
• Joel Otim – sprinter in men's 100m competition at Barcelona 1992
• Moses Musonge – member of the 4x100m sprint team at Seoul 1988
• Moses Kipsiro – long-distance runner who placed 4^th in the 5,000m at Beijing 2008 and competed again at London 2012
• Phillip Kipyeko – qualified in the 5,000m for Rio 2016
• Justine Bayigga – competed in the 400m sprint at Beijing 2008
• Davis Kamoga – bronze medallist in the 400m at Atlanta 1996 and competed again at Sydney 2000
• Farida Kyakutema – competed in the women’s 100m and 400m sprint and 4x100 relay at Seoul 1988 
• Dorcus Inzikuru – former world champion in the 3,000m steeplechase, Athens 2004 and London 2012 Olympian
• Charles Lubulwa – three-time Olympian who represented Uganda in boxing at Moscow 1980, Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988 Olympic Games
• Benjamin Longiros – Marathon runner from Seoul 1988
• Jackson Kiprop – Rio 2016 Marathon hopeful, twice ranked 10^th at the World Championships (2013-2015)

Planned activities include an Olympic Day run and walk, as well as a selection of demonstration sports for the children to experience. Alongside the sporting activities taking place, the UOA and UOC will also be running an Olympic Education Week to help teach those involved about the Olympic ideals and the importance of practicing sport free from discrimination as part of an active society.

At the start of the Olympic Education Week an Olympic Youth Camp was held in conjunction with the Uganda Police Force, which sought to inspire the next generation of leaders through sport. More than 200 participants from over 17 Ugandan schools took part in a range of activities which focussed on three main categories - body, mind and spirit. Youth leaders took part in football, basketball, volleyball aerobics, rugby and self defence workshops. They were also encouraged to adopt a civic-minded approach by donating blood, building campfires and planting trees for environmental sustainability, as well as taking part in debates and learning about Ugandan Olympic history.

President of Uganda Olympians Association Ganzi Mugula, said:

“Olympic Day is an opportunity for Ugandan Olympians to show their solidarity with other Olympians, NOAs, NOCs and International Federations around the world. It is an important day on the Olympic calendar made even more special in this Olympic year with the Rio 2016 Olympic Games almost upon us.

 “We can’t wait to spread the Olympic message to all the young people who will be joining us in our celebrations this week. It is fantastic to once again be working together with our NOC to promote the important role sport plays in our society.” 

Olympic Day is a global celebration of sport and the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect, which takes place on 23 June each year to commemorate the birth of the modern Olympic Games in 1894.

The WOA would like to share your National Olympians Association’s inspirational Olympic Day stories, events and pictures on our digital and social platforms so please let us know about any planned Olympic Day activities by contacting: sarah.vanballekom@thewoa.org.  

Olympians are also encouraged to engage on social media using the hashtag #OlympicDay.