Kole South Member of Parliament Peter Ocen Akalo won two gold medals in the National Taekwondo Championships.
The event was held on Saturday at the St. Lira Hotel in Lira City.
MP Ocen won both poomsae and sparring (kyorugi) categories, defeating competitors from all over Uganda.
The awards add to his growing collection of medals, which includes gold from the 2024 East Africa International Championship in Zanzibar.
“I joined Lira Fitness Taekwondo Club in 2018 to improve my physical fitness,” Ocen told journalists after his victory, adding, “This sport teaches discipline.”
The taekwondo championship is not about fighting but about personal development, he said. “I challenge my fellow MPs to join this noble sport.”
According to Charles Osendero, spokesperson for the International Taekwondo Federation of Uganda, only 15 of the country’s 80 clubs participated in such activities.
The championship featured 15 of Uganda’s 80 registered taekwondo clubs.
The Lango Taekwondo Club won the overall competition with 13 gold, 5 silver, and 3 bronze medals. They were closely followed by Lira Fitness and Health Taekwondo Club, which won 12 gold, 10 silver, and 3 bronze.
Uganda Prison Service placed third, with 12 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze medals.
Tom Anang Odur, Second Deputy Prime Minister of the Lango Cultural Foundation, praised the athletes during the closing ceremony on behalf of Paramount Chief Yosam Odur Ebii.
“Lango remains strong in taekwondo but we need more support to nurture our talent. Our cultural heritage in martial arts continues to shine,” Anang said.
MP Akalo now turns his attention to the upcoming international championship in Ethiopia in August, where he hopes to bring home more medals for Uganda.
“This is just the beginning,” Ocen declared. “I’m training harder to make my country proud in Addis Ababa.”
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