Julius Ssekitoleko says he is ready for a fresh start after earning a place back on Uganda’s national team three years after his absence.
Ssekitoleko is not part of the nine athletes selected by the Uganda Weightlifting Federation (UWF) to represent the country at the Africa Weightlifting Championships due in May in Ismailia, Egypt.
The team was chosen after the National Open Weightlifting Championships held at Ultimate Fitness Gym in Bugoloobi on Sunday, March 1.
More than 100 athletes competed, giving selectors a chance to assess form ahead of the continental competition.
For Ssekitoleko, the event marked an emotional return to competitive lifting.
“Today, March 1, I have come back into the competition world and competed with different elite lifters from various clubs,” he said after the event.
“The competition has been good. I have been preparing for a while and put a lot of energy into my training.”
The lifter said he was pleased to impress the judges despite the challenges he has faced over the past few years.
“Luckily, I performed well and managed to impress the judges. I also surprised myself considering the situation I’ve been in and the training I’ve been putting in,” he said.
He also thanked his sponsor, Global Fast Fit, for supporting his return to the sport.
Ssekitoleko’s comeback follows the difficult period surrounding the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, when he briefly disappeared from an Olympic training camp in July 2021 before later being found by authorities.
The incident happened at a time of heightened global concern over COVID-19 as athletes arrived for the Games.
Before that episode, he had also been sidelined due to weight category adjustments during the Olympic preparations.
Now back in the national team setup, Ssekitoleko says he is focused on helping Uganda win medals.
“Whatever happened in the past happened, but I’ve returned and I’m here so that we can win the different medals,” he said.
The Ugandan team heading to Egypt includes five men and four women who stood out at the national championships.
The men’s team features Dan Tumukunde (108kg), Davis Niyoyita (60kg), Digital Kaweesi (74kg), Shaban Kimbowa (65kg) and Stephen Ojede (108kg).
The women’s team comprises Lydia Nakidde (77kg), Aisha Namataka (86kg), Shabra Mutesi (64kg) and Vanessa Nassali (77kg).
The athletes will train under head coach Khasim Nsubuga at Kasubi Physique Gym as preparations begin for the championships.
The competition is expected to attract lifters from more than 20 countries and will also offer qualification opportunities for the Commonwealth Games.
