Uganda’s Top Athletes Withdraw from 2026 Commonwealth Games
Uganda will head into the Commonwealth Games without two of its biggest track stars. Their move to road racing made them ineligible for a largely track-focused event.
End of an era and past success
The absence signals a major shift for Ugandan athletics on the Commonwealth stage. At the 2022 Games in Birmingham, one of the departing stars claimed gold in both the 10,000m and 5,000m.
Uganda left Birmingham with five medals in total. That haul underscored the country’s strength in distance running.
Selection process and squad numbers
The Uganda Athletics Federation cut a long list of 110 athletes. That list was reduced to a provisional 27 names.
From those, a final team of 16 will be named. The planned squad balances eight men and eight women.
| Stage | Number of athletes |
|---|---|
| Long list | 110 |
| Provisional list | 27 |
| Final team | 16 (8 men, 8 women) |
Leadership and new medal hopes
Federation president Dominic Otucet acknowledged the gap left by the outgoing duo. He expressed confidence in younger runners moving up to senior ranks.
Ahead of the Games, the team will be led by Olympic steeplechase champion Peruth Chemutai. She aims to bounce back after a fall that limited her to bronze in Birmingham.
Rising names to watch
- Herbert Chebet
- Kenneth Kiprop
- Dan Chibet
Officials believe these athletes can fill some of the lost experience. They are among the runners expected to step onto the big stage.
Implications of the withdrawals
The decision by the two veterans has forced a fresh strategy. Uganda’s Top Athletes Withdraw from 2026 Commonwealth Games has shifted focus to development.
Selectors will now concentrate on 5,000m, 10,000m and middle-distance events. The hope is that the next generation will deliver results in Glasgow.
This report was prepared for Filmogaz.com. The federation continues to finalise its selections ahead of the competition.
