Uganda at the 2016 Summer Paralympics
| Uganda at the 2016 Summer Paralympics | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | |||||||||
| IPC code | UGA | ||||||||
| NPC | Uganda National Paralympic Committee | ||||||||
| in Rio de Janeiro | |||||||||
| Competitors | 1 in 1 sports | ||||||||
| Medals Ranked 69th |
| ||||||||
| Summer Paralympics appearances | |||||||||
Uganda is scheduled to compete at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 September to 18 September 2016.
Disability classifications
Every participant at the Paralympics has their disability grouped into one of five disability categories; amputation, the condition may be congenital or sustained through injury or illness; cerebral palsy; wheelchair athletes, there is often overlap between this and other categories; visual impairment, including blindness; Les autres, any physical disability that does not fall strictly under one of the other categories, for example dwarfism or multiple sclerosis.[1][2] Each Paralympic sport then has its own classifications, dependent upon the specific physical demands of competition. Events are given a code, made of numbers and letters, describing the type of event and classification of the athletes competing. Some sports, such as athletics, divide athletes by both the category and severity of their disabilities, other sports, for example swimming, group competitors from different categories together, the only separation being based on the severity of the disability.[3]
Medallists
Uganda finished tied for ninth among African countries for total gold medals, winning one silver. Ethiopia and the Ivory Coast also won a single silver medal.[4]
| Medal | Name | Sport | Event | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Silver | David Emong | Athletics | Men’s 1500 m T45-46 | 16 September |
The Team
David Emong was born on September 10, 1990 in Abong, Amolatar. Born without a disability, he spent much of his youth in school and participating in sports like soccer. While attending Abwong Primary School in Year Four, he was hit by a Prefect, knocked unconscious and broke his arm. Despite getting it fixed, his arm was left with a permanent deformity. While attending Awero Secondary School, he was encouraged to take up athletics. After finishing in the top 15% of the 2006 Nationals in Sironko District, he attracted the attention of the coach at Gombe Senior Secondary School in Mpigi District who convinced him to change schools. This change enabled him to excel further in athletics. In 2010, he came to the attention of the Uganda Paralympics Committee. He went on to make his international debut at the 2010 Great Lakes Championship in Nairobi, Kenya. His performance at the competition qualified him for the 2011 All-Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique. He came away from that competition with a bronze in the T46 5000m race event.[5]
Athletics
When David Emong won his Paralympic medal, it was the first in the country's history since they made their Paralympic Games debut in 1972.[5]
- Men's Track
| Athlete | Events | Heats | Final | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Rank | Time | Rank | ||
| David Emong | 400 m T45-47 | 58.30 | 5 | Did not advance | |
| 1500 m T45-46 | N/A | 4:00.62 | | ||
See also
References
- ↑ "Paralympics categories explained". ABC. 3 September 2008. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
- ↑ "Making sense of the categories". BBC Sport. 6 October 2000. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
- ↑ "A-Z of Paralympic classification". BBC Sport. 28 August 2008. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
- ↑ "Nigeria are Africa's best at Paralympics | KweséSports.com". Kwese Sports. 2016-09-19. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
- 1 2 Uganda at the Paralympics, International Paralympic Committee