Uganda confirms 55 athletes for 2015 All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville

Uganda will send 55 athletes to the 2015 All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville, a senior sports official has said.

"We have now confirmed 55 athletes in 10 disciplines for the All Africa Games. We shall also have about 15 technical officials and others from the Ministry of Education and Sports," Nicholas Muramagi, the Assistant General Secretary of National Council of Sports told Xinhua on Saturday.

The Games that bring together almost all African countries will take place in Congo Brazzaville, Sept. 4-19.

Muramagi explained that since the African Rugby body had communicated that rugby has been withdrawn from the Games, Uganda will now field participants in athletics, boxing, badminton, tennis, basketball (women), swimming, table tennis, cycling, weightlifting and Paralympics.

"It is unfortunate that disciplines like netball and rugby will not be at the games and yet we have very good teams," he said.

"Several of the athletes who will take part in the Games have already started preparing with some participating in tournaments in Europe," Muramagi added.

The All Africa Games are organized under the auspices of the Supreme Council for Sports in Africa. At the 10th All Africa Games held in Maputo, Mozambique in 2011, Uganda won four gold medals, one silver and three bronze to finish in 14th place. Three times Commonwealth Games gold medalist Moses Ndiema Kipsiro who also won gold in the 5,000m race at the 2011 All Africa Games is on Uganda' team for the Congo Brazzaville trip.

The 2015 All Africa Games that will feature 22 disciplines will attract athletes from Uganda, Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Egypt, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda and hosts Congo Brazzaville among others. Endi