By John Barns Ssentamu
National Council of Sports (NCS) chairman Ambrose Tashobya has urged Ugandan athletes at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games to focus on improving their performances rather than judging their success by the number of medals won.
Speaking to Team Uganda at the Games Village in Diamniadio, Tashobya told the athletes that giving their best in competition was just as important as winning medals.
“If you know in that race you gave it your best, that is all that we needed from you,” he said.
Tashobya said hundreds of athletes compete for just three medals in each event, making it unrealistic to judge everyone by podium finishes.
“If success is only measured by the medals that you win, it means over probably 95 per cent of the athletes will not have been successful,” he added.
The meeting was attended by team captains Joseph Sebatindira and Zara Marie Mbanga, chef de mission Lydia Gloria Dhamuzungu, team administrators Elijah Njawuzi and James Kasumba, and safeguarding officer Patricia Ayebare.
Tashobya told the athletes that their selection to represent Uganda was a recognition of their abilities. He encouraged them to take note of their performances in Dakar and work towards improving their results in future competitions.
“The person in the mirror is always the one standing between you and the best version of yourself,” he said.
Turning to sports development, Tashobya said the government had invested in football, rugby, athletics and indoor sports facilities but acknowledged that some disciplines still lacked adequate infrastructure.
He cited the absence of a standard 50-metre swimming pool as one of the challenges affecting the development of competitive swimming in Uganda.
Tashobya also spoke about plans to develop sports facilities at Hoima and Akii-Bua stadiums, as well as universities including Makerere, Gulu and Lira. He said the government was considering regional sports academies, starting with Hoima.
Badminton coach William Kabindi called for increased support to sports federations and coaches, saying consistent training and proper preparation were necessary to improve Uganda’s performance at international competitions.
In response, Tashobya said athletes needed years of training to compete successfully at major events.
“The work that gives you a medal here, you do it three years behind that, not weeks or two to three months to the event. It’s repetition, repetition, repetition over time,” he said.
He also encouraged the young athletes to continue with their education alongside their sporting careers.
“I’m a big believer of what we call a student athlete, not an athlete student. All of you can get degrees,” he said.
Uganda has already completed its participation in table tennis, rowing, rugby and badminton.
Attention now turns to swimming, where Arthur Mwase competes in the men’s 200-metre freestyle today. Uganda is also scheduled to compete in cycling and athletics.
