Teryet high altitude athletics track at same level as Mandela stadium Namboole

World Athletics certifies Teryet High Altitude Stadium

Kapchorwa, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  Teryet High Altitude Stadium in Kapchorwa has been certified as an official Olympics, World Championships, and World record qualification venue by World Athletics, the sport’s international regulatory body.

That means runners do not have to go to Mandela Stadium in Namboole in Kampala, or abroad to hit accepted qualification marks to qualify for international events. All times from Teryet can now be presented to the Uganda athletics federation for consideration to qualify for national team assignments.

Njia Benjamin, the Uganda Athletics Federation Vice President Technical reveals that the competitions and times recorded during the completions at the facility are now official, according to the World Athletics standards.

Njia explains that, although the facility has been certified, the qualification times by the athletes will be a challenge because of the place where the facility sits. He says that the high altitude and the strong winds in most cases are some of the factors that will hinder qualification marks.

Sitting on 75 hectares of land with an altitude of 2,200 meters above sea level, World Athletics recognized the facility on Tuesday, March 14th, 2023.

According to Njia, whereas the facility has not been officially commissioned, athletes use it on a request, adding as soon as the facility is handed over by the contractors, it will be open to everybody.

Peruth Chemutai, Uganda’s 3000m steeplechase Gold medalist who has never used the facility says, is looking forward to competing there.

“I am excited and pledge to utilize the facility, now that the times made here can be recognized like from another recognized stadia like Namboole,” she said.

Victor Kiplangat, the reigning common wealth Marathon Gold medalist told Uganda Radio Network that, the facility will unify most of the athletes in the region, now that everyone yearns to qualify for it.

“By the way, some athletes have been missing opportunities to qualify since the recognized facility is in Kampala,” he said. The district sports Officer Kapchorwa, Alfred Tunde, says the ratification of the stadium will enhance talent identification and support.

“This recognition is a testimony that athletics in the Sebei sub-region has come a long way and has made a mark on the international sports map,” said Tunde, adding that “the stadium is where coaches and sports promoters will be able to identify our young boys and girls”. Apart from Athletics, the Stadium will host other games such as football, basketball, and volleyball, among others, and it also has hostels to help accommodate athletes.

The new sports arena came about in 2010, President Yoweri Museveni asked for the construction of a modern state-of-art training facility for athletes across the country in recognition of Spectacular and vicious performances by Ugandan athletes internationally.  It followed Moses Kipsiro’s pleas to the President to install the facility after winning gold medals in the 5000m and 10000m respectively at the commonwealth games in the 2010 edition.

In 2012 and 2013 long-distance running icon Stephen Kiprotich won both Olympic and Commonwealth championships correspondingly to further compel the President to have the facility put up urgently.

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