On 12 and 13th September 2025, Elizabeth Aath Aanyu and Ibrahim Ocira, participated in workshops organised by Athlete 365|Career+ and the International Olympic Committee. Among the topics discussed were crucial matters of mental health and nutrition.
Ibrahim serves on the UGF Executive Committee as the Male Athlete’s Representative. He has been an active gymnast and practitioner of Karate for 18 years. He is keen on the promotion of gymnastics in his local community in Busia district.
Aath currently serves as the Female Athlete’s Representative of the current UGF Executive Commitee. She has 10 years of experience practicing and coaching gymnastics. She is active in the gymnastics, fitness and performing arts communities; whilst also working with children at school, homes, organisations, gyms and dance studios.
One of the key lessons from the workshops was the need for self awareness, that is, ability to recognize one’s thoughts and feelings. Athletes face many challenges and distractions that can make one lose control. However, as an important part of managing oneself, athletes need to acknowledge these thoughts, calm themselves and, if neccessary, communicate clearly so that they can be understood. The other advantage of seeking calmness is that it makes it easier to focus their attention on their goals. Being emotionally and mentally fit is a great component of one’s preparation for any athletic endeavours.
Additionally, it was mentioned that athletes are and must be reselient in order to bounce back and learn from mistakes and failures. What might initially appear like a mistake could even be turned into something positive and used improve one’s performance.
The facilitators also highlighted the need to find joy in one’s craft and practice a craft that produces joy.. This joy results in confidence which then yields a stronger mental state of mind. With a high level of confidence and trust in oneself, an athlete can step out knowing they have the skills they need to succeed. They would not need to seek validation from others.
With regards to nutrition, the facilitators broke it down to the basics, that is, that food is needed by the body for growth, proper function of organs and replacement of tissue. Different sports have different needs, meaning each athlete should establish the proportions of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and fibre that they need. However, water is essential for all athletes to enhance absorption of food by the body. Managing one’s nutrition is has the benefit of enhancing performance, reducing risk of injury and infection as well as ensuring quick recovery time.
Additionally, Aath and Ibrahim were able to discuss with other leaders from other sports. They recognized the need to form an Athlete commission within the UGF to ably reach out to other gymnasts, hear their views and ensure they are shared with the Executive Committee. It was also noted that the UGF needs to extend its reach into the rest of Uganda. This might be achieved through regional gymnastics meetings.
We are grateful to the organisers; Athlete 365|Career+ and Uganda Olympic Committee for giving athletes the support they need to pursue competitive athletics.