2015 All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville to mark 50th anniversary

The 2015 All Africa Games taking place next month in Congo Brazzaville will not be an ordinary as it will be celebrating the 50th anniversary.

Jasper Aligawesa, Secretary of the National Council of Sports (NCS) in Uganda and is also a member of one the organising committee of the Games told Xinhua in an interview on Saturday that this year's Games are unique.

The Games that bring together almost all African countries will take place between September 4-19. Uganda is expected to field 55 athletes in boxing, athletics, badminton, tennis, basketball (women), swimming, table tennis, cycling, weightlifting and Paralympics.

Aligawesa said the 11th Edition of the Games marks the 50th anniversary of the Games, as well as their return to Brazzaville, which hosted the first edition in 1965.

"The Games this year will be very special and the organisers Supreme Council for Sports in Africa and the hosts want to make it very so colourful and different," added Aligawesa who attended one of the planning meetings recently.

He explained that although the Ugandan government is still looking for enough funds to take a big contingent, he is optimistic the team will travel and put up a good show at the Games. "We want to keep improving by winning more and more medals in every Edition," added Aligawesa.

Besides athletics where Ugandan normally wins medals, the country' s top badminton player Edwin Ekiring who reached the second round of the World Championship in Indonesia this week is another medal prospect in Congo Brazzaville. "I know it will not be easy to win gold, but I will work hard to make sure I improve on the silver medal I got the last time," Ekiring told Xinhua.

At the 2011 All Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique, Uganda finished 14th with four gold, one silver and three bronze medals. Athletes Annet Negesa and three time Commonwealth Games gold medalist Moses Ndiema Kipsiro won gold medals in the 800m and 5,000m respectively. Endi