By 
Team Uganda to bring home two Gold medals from the 2nd Kenya National Speed Skating Championships held in Kasarani Stadium, Nairobi.
Five year old, Shakir Kiggundu was the name on everyone’s lips as he held team Uganda’s flag high after bagging both medals.
Both medals were collected from the short distance categories (200 meters and the 500 metres category).
In this edition that was dominated by the hosts of Kenya, Uganda went with a team of 21 athletes with Rwanda and United Arab Emirates also taking part in the Championship.
The team Uganda captain Himran Sserumaga hinted on the challenges they they faced as a team and also praised the heroics of Kiggundu who bagged double gold.
“We managed to pick alot of positives from the Championships despite facing alot of challenges as a team, most of the skaters on the team were taking part in their very first competitive Championship outside Uganda especially the teenagers and children in the team.” Said Himran Sserumaga the team captain.
“We had enough and better preparations ahead of the Championships but as country we lack equipments which meet the international standards and this was a major blow to the team as most of the Skaters retired earlier in the marathon and long distances due to the heat in their wheels.” He added.
Himran went ahead to praise the heroics of Kiggundu who has improved alot in his racing.
“I am so glad that as little as he is, Kiggundu has not disappointed us. He is the most work holic skater in training in all the junior level and he is always eager to learn new techniques. He really deserved to win, said the captian Himran.
With Skaters on team Uganda were featuring for the first time, they managed to register a stellar performance in most of the categories.
In the Girls 8-9 age category, Mayra Maria Anya go saw her way to the finals as she qualified in the third position in the 300 meters despite failing to make it to the medal bracket.
This was exactly the same case for Husnat Kiiza Ntanzi in the 6-7 age category as she registered a quick speed to Finnish second in the 200 metres heat two but also failing to enter into the medal bracket in the final round.
Sseruyange Hatim, Kiggundu Shan and Kasule Badru managed a 2nd, 3rd and 4th respectively to to qualify to the final round of the 300m short distance in the 8-9 age category.
For the Senior categories, the men short distance 300m semi-finals saw Bukenya Ezra swoop a third place finish in the semi-finals before failing to finish in the medal bracket as he took on the finals.
Team captain Himran Sseruyange managed a third place finish behind Bukenya in the 300m short distance sprint.
Full list of team Uganda;
Himran Sserumaga (C), Bukenya Ezra, Lubega Noordin Mugaga, Sayed Inaaya, Sayed Samara, Sseruyange Hatim, Kiweewa Awadallah, Kiggundu Shan, Kiggundu Shakir, Abdul Ariku Muhammad, Kizza Husnat Nyanzi, Iga Ramathan Nasibu, Kasule Badru, Anyango Myra Maria, Jukira Janat, Mubara Rashid, Atatil Halima, Mugaga Yusuf, Kaweesi Joshua, Lutaaya Huzaifah,
Officials;
Mwanje Hassan Musa, Kiberu Rashid, Kibirige Saida, Babirye Sharifa, Sayed Farhanaz Ashraf, Sayed Mohammed Ashraf
