John Akii-Bua
 John Akii-Bua c. 1972 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Born |
3 December 1949 Abako, Uganda | ||||||||||||||||||
| Died |
20 June 1997 (aged 47) Kampala, Uganda | ||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 77 kg (170 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | ||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | 400 m, 400 m hurdles | ||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) |
400 m – 45.82 (1976) 400 mH – 47.82 (1972) | ||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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John Akii-Bua (3 December 1949 – 20 June 1997) was a Ugandan hurdler and the first Olympic champion from his country.
Biography
Akii-Bua was raised in a family of 43 children from one father and his eight wives.[1][2] Akii-Bua started his athletic career as a short-distance hurdler, but failed to qualify for the 1968 Olympics.[2] Coached by British-born athletics coach Malcolm Arnold, he was introduced to the 400 meter hurdles.[3] After finishing fourth in the 1970 Commonwealth Games and running the fastest time of 1971, he was not a big favourite for the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, having limited competitive experience. Nevertheless, he won the final there, setting a world record time of 47.82 seconds despite running on the inside lane. He missed the 1976 Olympics and a showdown with United States rival Edwin Moses because of the boycott by Uganda and other African nations.[2]
As a police officer, Akii-Bua was promoted by Ugandan president Idi Amin and given a house as a reward for his athletic prowess. When the Amin regime was collapsing, he fled to Kenya with his family, fearful that he would be seen as a collaborator; this was more likely because he was a member of the Langi tribe, many of whom were persecuted by Amin,[4] whereas Akii-Bua was cited by Amin as an example of a Langi who was doing well. However, in Kenya he was put into a refugee camp. From there, he was freed by his shoe-manufacturer Puma and lived in Germany working for Puma for 3–4 years. He represented Uganda once again at the 1980 Summer Olympics.[2] Later he returned to Uganda and became a coach.[5]
Akii-Bua died a widower, at the age of 47, survived by eleven children. He was given a state funeral.[3] His nephew is international footballer David Obua, and his brother Lawrence Ogwang competed in the long jump and triple jump at the 1956 Olympics.[2]
The phrase "akii-buas" has come to colloquially mean "runs" in Uganda.[6]
References
- ↑ "Personalities at Olympics: Akii-Bua the Best in Vest". The New York Times. 4 September 1972. pp. 10 Section: Sports.
He is one of a family of 43 children. His father had eight wives.
- 1 2 3 4 5 John Akii-Bua. sports-reference.com
- 1 2 IAAF, 5 June 2008: Inzikuru to return to action in Akii Bua CAA Grand Prix
- ↑ "John Akii-Bua, 47 Is Dead; Ugandan Won Olympic Gold". The New York Times. 25 June 1997. p. D20.
Amin was purging the Lango tribe, and Akii-Bua was Lango
- ↑ The John Akii-Bua Story: an African Tragedy, documentary by Dan Gordon, BBC2, 10 August 2008
- ↑ Tim Crothers (October 9, 2012). The Queen of Katwe: A Story of Life, Chess, and One Extraordinary Girl's Dream of Becoming a Grandmaster. Scribner. ISBN 9781451657814.
External links
| Sporting positions | ||
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Preceded by Ralph Mann |
Men's 400 m Hurdles Best Year Performance 1972 – 1973 |
Succeeded by Jim Bolding |
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