All week groups of children were walking around the outskirts of Mbarara town wearing matching t-shirts, carrying a wooden sign stating their district, and sometimes chanting or singing as they walked to and from the local stadium. They represented the best primary school athletes from all over the country.
Martha and I went down to watch for a bit on Thursday afternoon, and on Sunday afternoon we were joined by our friends Zillah, Sophie, and Justus to watch some of the finals.
Being in the stadium (a.k.a. large, relatively flat, grassy field with a small section of bleachers) with thousands of children and adults from all over Uganda was a very unique experience, and there were a few things that stood out to me about it.
After a few minutes of observing the races and taking in my surroundings, I was struck by the feeling that I wasn't in Mbarara anymore. Most of the competitors were from Northern Uganda where the tribes have a distinctly different look than they do in the Southwest of Uganda. Darker skin. Striking, stunning features. Long, lean bodies. Enthralling beauty!
The second thing that really caught my attention was the sheer, God-given athletic ability of these children despite less-than-ideal circumstances.
The children wore some type of athletic wear (one-piece swimming suits included) if their school could supply them, but the majority of children were wearing a regular outfit: t-shirt or tank top with knit shorts or a skirt with leggings.
They were competing on a grass track that was turned into several inches of slick mud from all the rain during the week.
And nearly all of them were competing without shoes. I saw one boy wearing tennis shoes, but they were about three sizes too big for him. Another boy was wearing jelly sandals with cardboard inside to absorb water.
Despite these conditions, I'm convinced that I was watching future Olympians! With the proper resources, these children could seriously be hanging out in Rio de Janeiro a few years from now. It was incredible to watch such natural ability!
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| "Sports Made in Uganda" |
Children from the fishing villages on the islands were dominating the javelin throwing.
A young girl jumped further in the long jump than any student this year at the elite university in Kampala.
Gulu district won both the girls' and boys' 14-16 year old 4x100-meter relay race with incredible times!
Girls: 54 seconds
Boys: 46 seconds
The current world record for the men's 4x100-meter relay was set in 2011 by Usain Bolt and the Jamaican team. It stands at 37.04 seconds. That means these children are already running just nine seconds above the world record at the age of 16. Barefoot. On a grass track. Wearing women's one-piece swimming suits.
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| Gulu district's victory lap |
Attending this event was such an enjoyable experience, and I'm encouraged by these talented children... Their determination. Their perseverence. And their ability to overcome the odds.
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