Team Uganda has returned home from the second edition of the ANOCA Zone V Youth Games in Kenya with an impressive 23-medal haul, finishing second overall behind hosts Kenya.
The Games concluded on Thursday evening after bringing together slightly more than 100 young athletes who competed across seven disciplines at Kenyatta University, Kasarani Aquatic Stadium and in Murang’a County for cycling.
Kenya topped the overall medal standings with 51 medals, followed by Uganda with 23, while Ethiopia finished third with 11 medals; with the other countries and the refuge team taking the remaining medals.
Uganda demonstrated its depth across the Games, winning medals in all disciplines except cycling, where the team’s best result was a fourth-place finish in the road race.
Athletics made a significant contribution to Uganda’s medal tally, highlighted by a strong performance in the women’s 200m.
Tracy Nabunya won gold in the women’s 200m, with Marufa Ahmed Dafala taking silver and Apoko Mary claiming bronze, giving Uganda a clean sweep of the podium.
Marufa Ahmed Dafala added another medal in the girls’ triple jump, winning silver.
In the men’s 400m, Daniel Ogenrwot secured gold, while Cherotwo Baskaline won bronze in the girls’ 1500m. Micheal also added bronze in the boys’ 3000m. Muhwezi Abraham Lincoln won a silver in the boys’ 100m
Swimming was another major source of Uganda’s success, with the team winning nine medals—three gold, three silver and three bronze.
Mwase Arthur won gold in the Men’s 14–17 100m Freestyle in 57.06, while Muganzi Tyler claimed gold in both the Women’s 14–17 50m Butterfly (30.62) and 100m Butterfly (1:09.60).
Uganda’s silver medals came through the Mixed 4x100m Freestyle Relay, the Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay and Nakasule Rahama in the Women’s 14–17 50m Backstroke.
The bronze medals were won by Nakasule Rahama in the Women’s 14–17 50m Butterfly, and Kaweesa Jonathan in the Men’s 14–17 50m Butterfly and 50m Freestyle.
Uganda also produced strong results in tennis, with Samuel Okello winning the boys’ singles title, while Lilian Ayee finished third in the girls’ singles competition.
In team sports, Uganda finished second in both boys’ beach volleyball and girls’ 3×3 basketball, behind Kenya.
The beach volleyball pair of Oyen Emmanuel John and Kimbowa Regan represented Uganda, while the 3×3 basketball girls added another team-sport podium finish.
Uganda also secured a silver medal in judo, further contributing to the country’s overall tally.
Cycling was the only discipline in which Uganda did not win a medal. Jacinta Namubiru competed in the road race and individual time trial, with the best result being fourth place in the road race.
Uganda’s second-place finish marks a strong showing at the second edition of the ANOCA Zone V Youth Games and provides important international experience for the country’s emerging athletes.
The Games also form part of the development pathway towards the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, giving young athletes an opportunity to compete against some of the region’s best talent.
With the competition now concluded, Team Uganda has safely returned home after a campaign, with the athletes returning home with valuable experience that will contribute to the continued development of Uganda’s next generation of Olympians.
Kind Note
- Uganda fielded a refugee team but, in the competition, the all the refuge teams were combined as one team. Uganda’s refuge team going to the youth Olympics stayed back in Kenya to join the other refuges from the region in a training camp ahead of the Youth Olympics.
- Some of the participants in the Zone 5 youth games will be in Dakar at the youth Olympics
