A new national record will do for Ssengonzi at the Paris Olympics
Uganda will have two swimmers Gloria Muzito and Jesse Ssengonzi at this year’s games in Paris and both in the 100m freestyle and the 100m butterfly races will not be looking to conquer but to fight well in their events.
Jesse Ssengonzi is aiming to make his Olympic debut with a new national record. Photo by Michael Nsubuga
NewVision Reporter
@NewVision
One of the cherished ideals of the Olympic games is ‘not to win but to take part’ as echoed by the founder of the modern Olympic games, Baron Pierre de Coubertin in 1896.
That is why wild cards are added to a strict qualification system to encourage greater sports participation for athletes at the games. It is through this ‘qualifying system’ that Uganda normally sends its swimmers to the Olympics.
Uganda will have two swimmers Gloria Muzito and Jesse Ssengonzi at this year’s games in Paris and both in the 100m freestyle and the 100m butterfly races will not be looking to conquer but to fight well in their events.
It is every athlete’s dream to compete in the Olympics and it isn’t any different for the two Ugandan swimmers especially Ssengozi who hopes to inspire many more swimmers from his participation at this year’s event.
“Representing Uganda at the Olympics means a lot to me because I first represented Uganda on the international stage when I was nine years and ever since then it has been a dream of mine to represent Uganda at the high stage,” Ssengonzi said ahead of his event on August 2.
“I see it as an opportunity to do my best and show up all my years of hard work and to hopefully inspire other Ugandan swimmers to stick with the sport. My target is to break the national record and move up as many places as possible with the best time,” he said.
He applauded all the Ugandans and all the people around him for rendering support and said he wouldn’t be where he is if it wasn’t for them.
“I’m very thankful for that and I think it pushes me to succeed and it makes me proud to be someone who represents this nation,”
Team Uganda is sponsored to the games by the government of Uganda with additional support from Sanlam Insurance, Plascon, and Nile Special. RwandAir has also supported this coverage as a flight partner for the New Vision reporter.
Uganda is represented by 25 sportsmen from athletics, cycling, rowing, and swimming, accompanied by ten officials/coaches.