Uganda’s leading mountain and trail runners will converge on Kapchorwa this weekend for the 16th National Mountain Running Championships, with national honours and places in the country’s international build-up programme at stake.
Scheduled for October 16–17, 2026, the championships are expected to attract more than 500 athletes from clubs across the country, turning the eastern Ugandan highlands into a competitive arena for the country’s established distance runners and emerging talent.
Beyond the battle for national titles, the two-day competition will serve as a national trial and an important preparatory platform for athletes aspiring to represent Uganda at the 2027 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Cape Town, South Africa, from October 6–10.
The championships will feature the senior uphill 14km race alongside the junior U20 6.5km and 8km contests, providing a test of endurance, climbing strength and tactical execution across the demanding Kapchorwa terrain.
Attention will also be on the returning champions as they seek to reaffirm their standing against a field expected to be highly competitive.
Martin Kiprotich Magengo of Police and Rispa Cherop of Prisons claimed the senior men’s and women’s 14km titles respectively at the 2025 National Mountain and Trail Running Championships.
In the junior category, Enos Chebet of Arua and Nancy Chekwurui of UPDF emerged victorious in their respective races, setting the stage for another contest among Uganda’s promising young runners.
Uganda’s ambitions in mountain running are underpinned by a history of international success, particularly among junior athletes.
The country made its debut at the World Mountain Running Championships, then known as the World Mountain Running Trophy, in 2007 in Ovronnaz, Switzerland.
That appearance proved memorable when Geoffrey Kusuro won gold in the junior men’s race, establishing an early benchmark for Uganda’s participation on the global mountain-running stage.
Since then, Uganda has maintained a strong presence at international championships, with its growing influence at U20 level offering encouragement ahead of the next global contest.
With Cape Town 2027 on the horizon, the Kapchorwa championships offer athletes an opportunity to demonstrate their readiness, challenge established names and strengthen their claims for national selection.
