Chekwel to open Uganda’s account on the Rio track at 5pm

Today
Athletics 5pm
Juliet Chekwel – Women’s 10000m final 

Saturday August 13
Boxing 11.45pm

Ronald Serugo vs  Narek Abgaryan (Armenia)

Saturday August 13
Athletics 4pm
Women’s 3000m Steeplechase Heat 1
Peruth Chemutai

10000m men final (3.00am Sunday Uganda time)
Timothy Toroitich, Moses Kurong and Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei

Juliet Chekwel will open Uganda’s account on the track today, with her performance key to setting the tone for 16 of her colleagues.

At 26, Chekwel can be considered one of the seniors in a team that also has a 15-year-old Jacob Kiplimo, a 17 year old Peruth Chemutai and a 19-year-old Joshua Cheptegei

She owns the national record, having set 32:57.02 at the World Championships  in Moscow 2013 in finishing 16th,   32:20.95 at the World Championships in Beijing in 17th and 31:37.99 in April.

Looking at the field, dominated by Kenyans and Ethiopians with the best times of the year, Chekwel will have to run better than she has run before – that is lower than 31 minutes tonight to fight for a medal. Favourite for the race is Ethiopian Almaz Ayana who has a best time this year of 30:07.00.

Chekwel becomes the 4th Ugandan in action in Rio, with light-heavy weight boxer Kennedy Katende and swimmers Jamila Lunkuse and Joshua Ekirikubinza Tibatemwa failing to go past the first hurdle.

Uganda sent a team of 2 swimmers, 2 boxers and 17 athletes. It is the track athletes who have Uganda’s best hopes of a medal.

No Ugandan woman has won an Olympic medal before.

List of medalists

Medal	Name	Games	Sport	Event
Silver	Eridadi Mukwanga	1968 Mexico City	Boxing	Men’s bantamweight
Bronze	Leo Rwabwogo	1968 Mexico City	Boxing	Men’s flyweight
Gold	John Akii-Bua	1972 Munich	Athletics	Men’s 400 metre hurdles
Silver	Leo Rwabwogo	1972 Munich	Boxing	Men’s flyweight
Silver	John Mugabi	1980 Moscow	Boxing	Men’s welterweight
Bronze	Davis Kamoga	1996 Atlanta	Athletics	Men’s 400 metres
Gold	Stephen Kiprotich	2012 London	Athletics	Men’s marathon

Rest of team Uganda’s Schedule

Friday August 12
Athletics 5pm
Juliet Chekwel – Women’s 10000m final 

Saturday August 13
Boxing 11.45pm

Ronald Serugo vs  Narek Abgaryan (Armenia)

Saturday August 13
Athletics 4pm
Women’s 3000m Steeplechase Heat 1
Peruth Chemutai

10000m men final (3.00am Sunday Uganda time)
Timothy Toroitich, Moses Kurong and Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei

Sunday August 14
Women’s marathon final 3.30pm
Nyakisi Adero

Monday August 15 
Men’s 3000m steeplechase round 1 – 4.25pm
Benjamin Kiplagat and Jacob Araptany
***
Women 3000m Steeplechase final 5.15pm

Tuesday August 16 
Women’s 5000m round 1 – 3.30pm
Juliet Chekwel and Stella Chesang

Men’s 1500m round 1 – 4-30pm
Ronald Musagala

Wed August 17 
Men’s 5000m round 1 – 4.05pm
Jacob Kiplimo, Phillip Kipyego and Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei

Women’s 800m round 1 – 4.55pm
Halimah Nakaayi and Winnie Nanyondo

Men’s Steeplechase final

Thursday August 18 
Men’s 1500m semifinal
Women 800m semifinal

Friday August 19 
Women’s 5000m final

Saturday August 20 
Men’s 1500m final
Women’s 800m final
Men’s 5000m final 3.30pm
Jacob Kiplimo, Phillip Kipyego and Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei

Sunday August 21 
Men’s Marathon final 3.30pm
Solomon Mutai, Jackson Kiprop and Stephen Kiprotich