Written By | Alex Mbamanya
UOC officials during the Tooke Run launch in Bushenyi in June
Search
Bushenyi
The Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) will join the rest of the world in celebrating Olympic Day, which is slated for June 23. In a bid to support President Museveni's initiative on banana production and value addition, the UOC, in collaboration with the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development / Banana Industrial Research and Development Centre (PIBID/BIRDC), has organised a marathon to be held on June 20 in Bushenyi.
Named the Olympic Day Tooke Run, the run is a distinguished national event that commemorates Olympic Day, a global celebration of sport, health, and community engagement.
While addressing the media at the launch of the event in Kampala, UOC President Donald Rukare confirmed that the President will be the chief runner and called upon Ugandans to turn up in large numbers and take part.
“Our partnership with the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development / Banana Industrial Research and Development Centre (PIBID/BIRDC) has grown stronger and more impactful, setting a foundation for excellence and innovation in both sports and community development. This partnership is built on the three values of Olympism: Excellence, Respect, and Friendship,” Rukare said.
UOC officials during the Tooke Run launch in Bushenyi in June
“The value of excellence encourages us to be our best, embodying dedication and resilience. For athletes to achieve excellence, they require good nutrition. Good nutrition not only enhances the athletic performance of sportsmen and sportswomen but also the well-being of community members. Our partnership symbolizes our shared commitment to harnessing sports as a vehicle for transformation, opportunity, and national pride. We believe sports can play a big role in accelerating the transformation of matooke from a subsistence crop into a competitive, high-quality product, one of the key deliverables of PIBID/BIRDC,” he added.
Rev. Florence Isabirye Muranga, who is the Nutrition Ambassador for Uganda Olympics and Commonwealth Games, expressed joy over the choice of Bushenyi among all districts to host the memorable event and highlighted the purpose of the run.
“The Olympic Day Tooke Run is aimed at supporting excellence in sport, including sponsoring Ugandan athletes to the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal; raising critical nutritional support for vulnerable populations in our country, particularly children in the weaning phase; fostering the adoption of healthy lifestyles through communal physical activities while showcasing tooke as a sustainable energy source for athletes; and supporting the East African Highland green banana cropping system by creating visibility and harnessing linkages to global market chains,” Muranga said.
The run will be held under the theme: “Move, Learn and Discover for Nutrition Care,” which underscores the critical role of physical activity and proper nutrition in advancing individual well-being and national development.
International Olympic Day is celebrated annually on June 23 to commemorate the founding of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the modern Olympic Games on June 23, 1894, at the Sorbonne in Paris.
Torch Media Africa
