By Emily Goddard

Hosts Uganda topped both the men's and women's podiums at the 2014 World University Cross Country Championship ©FISUMarch 22 - Uganda's Winnie Nanyondo and Joshua Cheptegei ensured it was the home nation that took the top prizes at the World University Cross Country Championship in Entebbe today.

Nanyondo led home an all-Ugandan women's podium as she finished the demanding six-kilometre long course, which is at an altitude of 1,200 metres, in 20min 33.77sec to claim gold ahead of compatriots Dorcus Ajok and Prim Twikiriza.

They crossed the line in 21:01.85 and 21:06.14 respectively.

The team title also went to Uganda, having held the first three places, with Japan coming next, its three competitors secured the fourth, fifth and sixth places, followed by Canada who ensured it was a three-continent podium.

Cheptegei was, however, the only home athlete on the men's podium as he finished the 10.5km course in 31:06.71 to secure the gold.

Kenya's Daniel Muindi crossed the finish line six seconds later to take silver in 31:12.79, ahead of compatriot Mark Lokwanamoi, who finished more than a minute behind his two opponents but still managed third place with a time of 32:33.26.

Kenya clinched the team title, having placed its four best athletes between the second and fifth places, while Uganda took silver and Japan secured its second medal of the day with the bronze.

The 2014 Championship, the 19th edition of the International University Sports Federation (FISU) competition, featured 18 participating nations from five continents, including eight African countries, a record for the event.

Seventy-five universities were represented, including famous institutions such as Canada's McMaster University, Australia's Monash University and the Lausanne University, as well as the local Kampala University.

This edition also saw Oman competing for the first time, while France became the only nation to have attended all previous editions of the Championship since its creation in 1978.

The next World University Cross Country Championship are due to take place in the Italian city of Cassino in 2016.

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