The organizers of the inaugural Olympic Day Tooke Run have unveiled a massive UGX 120 million prize money package ahead of the event scheduled for June 20, 2026, in Bushenyi District.

The prize money was officially announced during a press conference held at the Banana Industrial Research and Development Centre (BIRDC) headquarters in Kampala on 2nd June, signaling the organizers’ commitment to rewarding excellence and attracting top running talent from across the country.

The Olympic Day Tooke Run is a joint initiative of the Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC), the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development (PIBID), and BIRDC. The event will be held under the theme, “Move, Learn and Discover for Nutrition-Care,” with the aim of promoting healthy lifestyles, nutrition awareness, and support for Ugandan athletes preparing for the Youth Olympic Games.

Speaking during the unveiling, UOC Nutrition Ambassador Rev. Prof. Florence Muranga emphasized that the prize money is intended to motivate athletes and recognize their dedication while contributing to the growth of road running in Uganda.

A significant portion of the prize fund has been allocated to the 21-kilometre Half Marathon category, where the top five male and female athletes will share UGX 72 million. Winners in both the men’s and women’s races will each take home UGX 15 million, while second and third-place finishers will receive UGX 9 million and UGX 7 million respectively. Fourth and fifth-placed athletes will earn UGX 2.5 million each.

The 10-kilometre race will have a total prize allocation of UGX 24 million, with winners in both categories receiving UGX 5 million each. The first runners up will each bag UGX 4 million while the second runners up will take home UGX 3 million each.

The 5-kilometre run is divided into 2 categories. First, the U16 Youth race were the winners in both boys and girls shall take home UGX 5 million each. The first and second runners up in both the biys and girls shall also take home UGX 3 and UGX 2 million each respectively.

Secondly, there shall be a 5km fun run and walk. The winners in both the men and women shall take home UGX 1 million while the first and second runners up shall bag UGX 600,000 and UGX 400,000 respectively.

The run, which starts and finishes at Bushenyi Sports Ground, is expected to attract thousands of participants from across Uganda. Organizers have also revealed that President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is expected to be the chief guest and chief runner during the event.

With one of the largest prize purses ever offered in a Ugandan road race, the Olympic Day Tooke Run is poised to become a landmark event on the country’s athletics calendar while advancing the broader objectives of sport development, nutrition advocacy, and community health.

PIBID/BIRDC also maintains that their partnership with UOC will not end on the 20th when the run will take place. They are looking at working with UOC to support athletes at the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and celebrate the Olympic Day Tooke Run for the next 2 years. They also aim to start a legacy fund to help support young athletes.