UOC, Nile Special look to bright Paris show

“Locally, we are strong sponsors of our rugby team, football team, we are also going to support the basketball team,” NBL managing director Adu Rando said during a press briefing.

“This is simply an extension of the work that we already do. Sports is a big passion of Ugandans and so is Nile Special.

“Every partnership and sponsorship is different to manage. We are always interested in partnering with winning sports platforms like the one we’ve done,” added Rando, a former junior volleyball player for the Brazil national team.

NBL’s parent company AB InBev are the official sponsors of the Olympics through the Corona Cero zero-alcohol beer. And the partnership which comes with Shs120m in cash is giving UOC higher yardsticks for performance come the Paris Games.

“We believe that there is a natural connection of values and products linked between this brand and sports,” said Rukare, flanked by Team Uganda chef de mission Moses Mwase and UOC’s marketing head Collins Ssemanda.

“We believe that there’s a lot of synergistic connections. We thank you for taking this walk with us. And we also have an in-built mechanism to support these athletes,” Rukare added.

UOC expects to send a team of 35 competitors to the Games from athletics, rowing and cycling while two slots are available to swimmers.

Then, Nile Special-sponsored Rugby Cranes 7s are one of the teams left with a chance to progress to the Olympics with a repechage qualifier in Monaco, France later this month.

NBL is planning to run a gold campaign: where people can order Nile Special and run to win one of the gold medals that we think we will win.

2024 OLYMPICS NOTEBOOK

Host city: Paris, France

City Hosting: 3rd (1900, 1924, 2024)

Motto: Ouvrons grand les Jeux (Games wide open)

Events: 329 in 32 sports

Dates: Jul 26 - Aug 11, 2024

Team Uganda Contingent: 35 competitors (projected)

UOC Sponsors: Nile Special, Plascon, Sanlam

Opening Ceremony: Jardins du Trocadéro and the Seine

Closing Ceremony: Stade de France

TEAM UGANDA TO PARIS 2024 GAMES

Athletics: Tarsis Orogot (200m), Oscar Chelimo (5000m), Jacob Kiplimo (5000m & 10000m), Joshua Cheptegei (5000m & 10000m), Victor Kiplangat, Stephen Kissa and Andrew Rotich Kwemoi (All Marathon), Halimah Nakaayi (800m), Winnie Nanyondo (1500m), Sarah Chelangat (5000m & 10000m), Joy Cheptoyek (5000m & 10000m), Peruth Chemutai (3000m steeplechase), Stella Chesang, Mercyline Chelangat, and Rebecca Chelangat (All Marathon)

Cycling: Charles Kagimu (Men’s Road Race)

Rowing: Kathleen Grace Noble (Women’s Single Sculls)

Pending Disciplines: Rugby 7s, Swimming

UGANDA AT THE OLYMPICS

Games: 15 games in 13 countries

Events: 59 distinct events in 9 sports

Participants: 178 (150 men and 27 women)

Youngest Participant: Charles Lubulwa (15 years, 206 days), Moscow 1980

Oldest Participant: Elly Kitamireke (41 years, 16 days), Munich 1972

Most medals (Athlete): Leo Rwabwogo (2 medals)

Note: Excludes Tokyo 2020 stats

UGANDA’S MEDALS AT OLYMPICS

1968 Mexico City: Eridadi Mukwanga (Bantamweight Silver)

1968 Mexico City: Leo Rwabwogo (Flyweight Bronze)

1972 Munich: John Akii-Bua (400m Hurdles Gold)

1972 Munich: Leo Rwabwogo (Flyweight Silver)

1980 Moscow: John Mugabi (Welterweight Silver)

1996 Atlanta: Davis Kamoga (400m Bronze)

2012 London: Stephen Kiprotich (Marathon Gold)

2020 Tokyo: Joshua Cheptegei (10000m Silver)

2020 Tokyo: Jacob Kiplimo (10000m Bronze)

2020 Tokyo: Peruth Chemutai (3000m Steeplechase Gold)

2020 Tokyo: Joshua Cheptegei (5000m Gold)