John Akii-Bua - Background and Hurdling Tracks to Uganda's Olympic Gold and Munich's Top Highlight

John Akii-Bua - Background and Hurdling Tracks to Uganda's Olympic Gold and Munich's Top Highlight

Zambian 400 meters-hurdles legend Samuel Matete was born on July 27, 1968 in Chingola in Zambia. Samuel Matete is notably one of the world's foremost 400 meters hurdlers of all time. For young Matete, legendary Uganda hurdler John Akii-Bua was his foremost sports idol. Matete still holds the African record of forty seven.10 seconds in the 400mh event, one he set in the German city of Zurich on August 7, 1991. At this Weltklasse city (World category Zurich), an annual athletics meeting in Switzerland which is part of the IAAF Golden League, and is sometimes referred to as the One-Day Olympics, Matete undeniably created his most unforgettable athletics mark. In his home country, Matete originally trained under rudimentary conditions, including setting up handcrafted wooden hurdles. Only three other people, all from the USA, have officially ever ran faster personal bests than Samuel Matete. These are: Bryan Bronson in 47.03 seconds (set in New Orleans in Louisiana on June 21, 1998), Edwin Moses in 47.02 seconds (set in Koblenz in Germany on August 31, 1983), and Kevin Young in an astounding record then so much the sole official time below 47 seconds, of 46.78 seconds (on August 6, 1992 in Barcelona, at the Olympic Games, in the finals).

The only other Africa runners with faster personal bests than Akii-Bua are El Hadj Amadou Dia Ba of Senegal. He ran the intermediate hurdles in 47.23 seconds at the Olympics of 1988 that were held in Seoul in South Korea. Here, aged 29, Dia Ba was in the finals beaten to second place by 29 year-old American Andre Phillips (47.19s, an Olympic record), and aging 33 year-old world record holder king Corley Moses settled for the bronze during a time of 47.56 seconds. The performance during this Olympic final was astounding: Andre Phillips established AN Olympic record and king Moses (despite his trophy placing) had ran quicker than he had at two previous Olympic Games at that he had won gold! Courtesy of Dia Ba, this final evidenced the breaking of Akii-Bua's intermediate hurdles' African record. In addition to Samuel Matete, the only other Africa runner with a personal-best timing faster than Akii-Bua's is Llewellyn George Herbert of South Africa with a timing of 47.81s in a third place bronze-medal end within the Finals at the Olympic Games of 2000 that were command in state capital.

John Akii-Bua

In 1964 John Akii-Bua, a fifteen year-old with AN elementary tutorial education, left faculty. For following 2 years Akii settled on serving to shepherd his massive family's 120-herd of kine. Akii had long learned a way to milk and the way to use the kine to plow. Akii tells Kenny Moore in implying that as a youth he grew up to be a tough and athletic herdsboy: "I milked them [cattle], I plowed with them, everything. In 1956, once I was terribly young, lions took sheep and goats from our farm, even cattle. But none came when I tended them. I did have a detailed check up on some terribly massive pythons. And we have wild monkeys. They can tease you and throw things. They make you run away" (Sports Illustrated": 'A Play of Light', November 20, 1972).

Akii's devotion to family labor duties became even the more significant because his father--county Chief Bua, a prominent county administrator, died in 1965. Akii was solely 16 years recent then, and he estimated that at the time of his father's demise, he was one among forty-four siblings (16 sisters and 27 brothers). Akii's father had five wives, but had earlier on divorced three. The family, that dwelled within the same compound, was semi-nomadic in sociodemographic character, occasionally moving from county to county. Akii-Bua is listed as born on December 3, 1949 (to mother Imat Solome Bua) in Abako sub-county village in Moroto County in Lango District in Uganda. Among the opposite areas the family settled in and out of were Dokolo, Kwania, and Oyam. The common listing of Akii-Bua's birth appears to be fairly correct, but some of his family implies that he was born earlier than 1949. In the Uganda newspaper "Observer," the article "John Akii-Bua is A Forgotten Hero" dated March 28 2010, Denis H.Obua implies that Akii-Bua was born three or four years earlier than 1949. Suffice it to say. not several decades agone, dates of birth of the many African youngsters weren't recorded or remembered.

Soon after Akii's father died, one of Akii's older brothers picked himself to be a cashier in his bar. He was the cashier till he joined the police in 1966. Akii passed his basic police training in 1967. Before joining the Uganda police, Akii's only memory of athletic competition was domestic: his father would set up basic group-age sibling competitions over various distances for trophies of candy (sweets). Akii tells Kenny Moore, "I don't think I ever won. I had to beg sweets from my brothers" ("Sports Illustrated": 'A Play of Light', November 20, 1972).

Along with being introduced to active competition, Akii became inspired by Uganda athletes Ogwang, Etolu, and Opaka. Lawrence Ogwang (born in November 1932) is recognized as Uganda's initial major competitive athlete; he described Uganda at the Olympics of 1956 that were command in Melbourne in Australia and took twentieth place within the hop-step-and-jump (14.72m), and eliminated in the earlier rounds in the long jump after being 27th with a jump of 6.62m. Lawrence Ogwang could be a relative of Akii-Bua and he's generally listed as his brother.

High-jumper Patrick Etolu, born in Soroti District on March 17, 1935 is notable for finishing second at the 1954 British Empire Commonwealth Games, fourth in the same event and Games in 1958, and ninth within the same event and Games in 1962. In the summer Olympic Games of 1956 held in Melbourne, Patrick Etolu emerged 12th with a jumping height of 1.96 meters. Tito Opaka was a high-hurdler.

Akii started running competitively once he joined the police. The window into his athletic potential was at the start formed by the police drill that habitually started at 5:30am with physical coaching and 3 miles of cross-country running. Akii's stretching flexibility was notable, the cause for his selection into high-hurdling. Uganda's Jerom (Jerome, Jorem?) Ochana, a superior policeman and Africa's 440 yard-hurdles record holder, was conveniently there to train Akii. One of the coaching job ordeals concerned Ochana inserting a high-jump bar a few of feet on top of the hurdle to form Akii into learning to stay his head and body low. Akii recounts the ordeal to Kenny Moore: "Can you see this scar on my forehead? me listen. I used to bleed a lot in our exercises, knocking the hurdles with my knees and ankles, keeping my head down" ("Sports Illustrated": 'A Play of Light', November 20, 1972).

John Akii-Bua World Record

In the initial week of November 1962, at a track meet in Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), a tune-up for the forthcoming British Empire Commonwealth Games to soon be held in Perth in Australia, Ochana secured the 440 yard-hurdles finish in 52.3 seconds. Ochana went on to win in the same event at the East and Central African Championships that were held in the city of Kisumu in Kenya. Ochana was in Tokyo in 1964 for the Olympics. In the third of 5 initial spherical heats that allowed the 3 high finishers and next one quickest to advance to the semi-final spherical, 29 year-old Ochana was eliminated when he finished fourth in 52.4 seconds, on October ordinal. In the end, Ochana achieved a nineteenth overall ranking.

John Akii-Bua, shortly when winning in four police championship events in 1967, became significantly recognized and was thereafter placed under Briton Malcolm Arnold the new national coach. Akii still holds Uganda's athletics record of 6933 points set in 1971 in Kampala. Starting from the mid-1970's, less and less attention, and fewer and fewer resources were allotted to the development of field events in Uganda. The presence of Ugandan decathlon athletes waned.

Akii won within the 110 meters-hurdles finals at the East and Central African Championships (an annual event originally primarily involving track and field stars from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia) held in Kampala in 1969. With the influence of the coach Malcolm Arnold, Akii-Bua became convinced that he would reap a lot of rewards as a 400 meters-hurdler. In the finals of the 400mh at the Commonwealth Games (Edinburgh, Scotland, sixteenth to 25th July 1970) Akii-Bua struggled with a back strain and herniation injury, was trailing last at the ultimate 100 meters, but still raced in fast to come in fourth in 51.14 seconds. John Sherwood (England) was the gold medalist (50.03s), Bill Koskei of Uganda (but soon to return to and compete for his native Kenya) second (50.15s), and Kipkemboi Charles Yego of Kenya third (50.19s).

Akii-Bua wasn't within the top-10 uncomparable World Rankings of 1970. But in barely the subsequent year, he became ranked third behind Ralph Mann and Jean-Claude Nallet. In 1972 and 1973, his leading world performances placed Akii comfortably at no.1. Akii was less active and distinguished in 1974 whereby he became hierarchical  no.8. But Akii resurged to no. 2 in 1975, behind Alan Pascoe of nice United Kingdom and prior to Jim Bolding (USA) and Ralph Mann.

In 1972 the performance of Commonwealth Games' silver medalist William Koskei (who had erst ran for Uganda), at the summer Olympics held in Munich in West Germany from August 26, 1972 to 9-11, 1972, was very much looked forward to. Although not ranked among the World's top ten 400m hurdlers in 1971 or even 1972, Koskei was still regarded as an Olympic medal hope. Koskei, along side Akii-Bua of Uganda reigned as Africa's high hurdlers. The August 28, 1972 issue of "Sports Illustrated" issue of 28th August 1972 predictably listed Ralph Mann, William Koskei, and Akii-Bua because the premier decoration prospects.

At the Olympic Games Koskei, though running in advantageous lane 4, was eliminated in the first round. His 4th place finishing in Heat 2, in 50.58s would not allow him to move on to the next round. At the Olympics in 1972, Uganda's John Akii-Bua would win during a record of forty seven.82 seconds, becoming the first man to ever officially run the 400m hurdles in less than 48 seconds. Ralph Mann won silver by many yards behind Akii, Hemery athletics in an exceedingly} very shut third. Even after 40 years, Uganda seems to indefinitely celebrate Akii-Bua's Olympic medal triumph, the only Olympic gold that the country has ever garnered. President Idi Amin, Uganda's dictator from 1971 to 1979, would soon reward policeman Akii by promoting him to Assistant Inspector of Police (Police Lieutenant), giving him a house (from the many homeless from east Asians expelled from or who had fled Uganda), naming a distinguished drawn-out road in Kampala (Stanley Road--that had been named once yankee someone Henry Morton Stanley) "Akii-Bua Road." Since then, many sports establishments have ben named in Akii's name.

It is intriguing to more thoroughly follow both the road to Akii's greatest sports triumphs and the thereafter.

Akii-Bua fascinated his international competition by his distinctive hurdle race and coaching strategies. In the la article "Akii-Bua Has technique for Hurdles" in "The interpreter Review" (June eighteen, 1972 on page 29): "John Akii-Bua approaches the intermediate hurdles race with abandon and for that reason he's being picked by many as the next Olympic champion in the 400 meter event." Akii was known to run unconventionally, not confined to the conventional method of designing to interchange 13 to 15 strides between every hurdle. For example, Ralph Mann, the American champion, had an established plan of running 13 strides between the first five hurdles, change gears to 14 strides over the next two, and then switch to 15 steps over future 3 hurdles. In the "Spokesman Review" piece, Akii-Bua is quoted as saying:

"I prefer to run 14 steps between the hurdles however once I run and acquire to the hurdle in 13 steps, I say 'okay' and that i jump it... I just run arduous between the hurdles and check them once I get there... [at the forthcoming Olympics] i'll try and run thirteen steps between the hurdles however i'll still jump them once they return up to ME."

Some years later, legendary yankee Edwin Moses, the best intermediate jock of all time would fascinate the world along with his long flowing strides that may enable him to stride thirteen steps in between all the hurdles. Akii was conjointly touted for being privileged along with his ambidextrous ability to hurdle simply with either his right or left leg.

Previously, at the U.S.-Russian-World All-Star sports meeting command in July of 1971 in Berkeley at the University of California Edwards bowl, Akii-Bua won in the intermediate hurdles in an impressive 50.1 seconds, on July 3. Ralph Mann was not among the competitors. Jim Seymour (USA), currently at the University of Washington and a would-be USA jock within the 1972 forthcoming Olympics, came in second in 50.5 seconds. In July 1971 in Durham in North Carolina, Akii-Bua had won within the four hundred meters-hurdles at the Africa vs. USA meet. Akii-Bua proven he wasn't a fluke by clearly beating African rival Koskei, aboard the remainder of the contingent of Africans and Americans, and winning in an impressive personal best of 49.05 seconds. American and most wanted stratified champion Ralph Mann failed to show up. He was competing in Europe.

In July 1972, nearer to the Olympics, Akii-Bua won the event at the Compton Invitational in Los Angeles in a good time of 49.6 seconds. After the time was proclaimed, Akii-Bua remarked in astonishment that the time was too fast, given that he had hardly done any hurdling training in the past three months. He had not wished to run that quick that early within the season and create himself susceptible to injury and burnout. It is to be taken into thought that before 1980, men's 400 meters-hurdles timings below 50 seconds were considered very good or excellent. And at this time, Akii's official best time was 49 seconds. A few months before the Olympics, Akii felt that his 169 pounds on a 6'2" frame was too light and he wished to build up strength and weight to 180 pounds in time for the Olympics.

Sports enthusiasts in Uganda were generally of the opinion that though Akii-Bua was capable of winning an Olympic medal, he did not train hard enough and was not dedicated and focused enough. He often came across as carefree. Some of his times, particularly reception weren't satisfactory. He was conjointly overwhelmed into second place by European hurdlers, such as Greek Cypriot Stavros Tziortzis and Soviet Union's Yevgeny Gavrilenko, in a couple of occasions in European meets. There was during that era also the prevailing universal attitude that hurdling was too technical and scientific an event for black Africans, this worsened by Africans' mediocre training facilities.

Further, despite Akii-Bua's spectacular performances, he had ascended to international recognition rather quickly. He started running the intermediate hurdles late in 1969. His fourth place finishing within the four hundred meters-hurdles finals at the Commonwealth Games in 1970, was followed by his establishment of an African record, including wins in several international meets within the u.  s. and Europe in 1971 and early 1972. In a way, Akii-Bua was still comparatively unknown on the world athletics scene. Though not by his choice, he had not competed against some of the premier world intermediate hurdlers such as Ralph Mann and David Hemery. In sum, Akii wasn't regarded by several as a serious laurels prospect at the forthcoming Olympics that may crop up in Germany in 1972. And even though he did eventually win, this might possible be thought of a fluke!

Contradicting the prevailing opinion on Akii-Bua prior to the Olympics was the revelation that in fact Akii-Bua had eyed the Olympic gold medal and breaking the 400m hurdles world record quite seriously! He aimed to win in a big way! It turns out that Akii's regimen of training included a lot of cross-country and hill running in Uganda rainy conditions because a dry track was not always readily available to him. His hurdle race coaching was hard, involving him burly a jacket weighted with 25-35 pounds of result in his back and running the hurdles (heightened to forty two inches high as compared to the standard thirty six inches) for 1500 meters a minimum of sixfold every week. This is mentioned by legendary athlete within the "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette" of Sep four, 1972 within the article: "Akii-Bua's Win spectacular." The 400mh record, held by David Hemery, was 48.1 seconds. Akii had never officially ran the intermediate hurdles distance in less than 49 seconds. Yet, weeks before the athletic contest, he was terribly assured of running the gap in forty seven seconds if the weather would be ideal ("John Akii-Bua, associate contestant Who's simply too smart to Lose" by Doug Gilbert in "The metropolis Gazette-May eighteen, 1977).

It was at the tip of August of 1972 that the athletic contest 1972 400mh spherical one heats (five sets) were control. The rule was for the primary leading 3 contestant in every heat (altogether fifteen athletes), along side following one quickest contestant to create it the sixteen semi-finalists. Feelings about Akii-Bua's performance were mixed, some skeptical. Akii won in heat four, however his winning time of fifty.35 seconds was the slowest winning time among the 5 heats. Akii-Bua most likely merely relaxed himself throughout the run, being assured that he was through to the semi-finals. Winners in the other heats were Dieter Buttner (West Germany) in Heat One in 49.78 seconds; Dave Hemery (Great Britain) in Heat Two in 49.72 seconds; Christian Rudolph (East Germany) in Heat Three in 50 seconds; and Yevgeny Gavrilenko (Soviet Union) in Heat Five in 49.73 seconds.

In the first of two semi-finals, Akii-Bua not only ran significantly faster than he had done in the first round but proved that he was a top contender for the gold medal. Media communications in Uganda and also the remainder of the world were way less developed within the 1970's than those of this web and itinerant age. Most Ugandans, relying on radio and piecemeal newspaper and television networks were in the dark about the impressive progress of Akii. Importantly, Semi-Final Round One witnessed Akii-Bua win in 49.25 seconds (his next best personal performance in comparison with his African record of 49.00 seconds), and decisively trouncing gold-medal hopes Ralph Mann (49.53 seconds) the american national champion and record holder and Dave Hemery (49.66 seconds) the Olympic champion and world-record holder. It was the first time that Akii had faced this quality of competition; until then he had not achieved the chance to race with those two big names that would likely be his biggest nemeses at the Olympics. Was Semi-Finals Heat One a preview of what the finals would be? Both Ralph Mann and Akii-Bua had during this semi-final been allotted to unfavorable Lanes One and 2 respectively; whereas Hemery was allotted to advantageous Lane five (which same lane he was allotted to all told 3 rounds--the Heats, the Semi-Final, and also the Final)!

It is significant that while Akii's heat in Round One had been the slowest among the five, Akii had not only clocked the best time in the semi-finals, but had also been the sole one that had won in each qualifying heats. The fourth placed during this semi-final was Rainer Schubert of West Germany (49.80 seconds). The first four in every semi-final heat would advance to the ultimate. Competitors in Semi-Finals Heat 2 were quite quick, however not as spectacular because the 1st one. Two First-Round winners, Christian Rudolph and Dieter Buttner, did not finish. The winners, to advance to the finals, were Jim Seymour (USA, 49.33 seconds), Gavrilenko (Soviet Union, 49.34 seconds), Yury Zorin (Soviet Union, 49.60 seconds), and Tziortzis (Greece, 50.06 seconds).

The finals of the Olympic intermediate hurdles were set for Sep a pair of, 1972 a date solely days before what would become called the urban center Massacre dead on the Israeli team by "Black Sep" militants on September five, 1972. Akii-Bua, a 6' 2", 175 pound, athletically designed, dark and smooth complexioned youth sporting a bright red Uganda uniform with the inscription number "911" beamed and singularly stood out amongst his European-descended competition. Also, whether by design or shear bad luck of drawing, Akii was in all three rounds assigned to either inner-Lanes One or Two---the sharpest and most difficult lanes to navigate around. For the finals (after being allotted Lane 2 in each the preliminary spherical and also the semi-finals), Akii was assigned Lane One, of all lanes! Maybe his previous inner-lane assignments gave Akii the short expertise and observe of knowing the way to navigate through to a decoration win, albeit being placed in unfavorable Lane One. Nowadays, it's customary to permit the winners within the preliminary rounds to make a decision to that lanes they'll be allotted within the forthcoming rounds. Logically, the winners in every spherical opt for the center lanes, whereas the runners-up and ones WHO ran slower find yourself having to selected from the "disadvantageous" outer and inner lanes!

The prelude to the 400mh finals is one among the foremost colourful in Olympic history, as fourth-positioned USA marathoning competitor at a similar Olympic Games Kenny Moore (in "Sports Illustrated": 'A Play of Light', Nov 20, 1972) reminds us: "-Bua was superb. As...other finalists in the...hurdles stared Munich's dried-blood-red track, grimly adjusting their blocks and minds for the coming ordeal, Akii danced in his lane, waving and grinning at friends in the crowd."

Nevertheless, Akii-Bua was not totally unnerved. He was sleepless, the night before the finals, "...haunted by visions of Hemery winning" (David Corn in "Notes on a Scandal: John Akii-Bua and his Journey from Munich Gold to tragedy" in "The Guardian," August 6, 2008).

The day arrived! The finals witnessed Hemery, a compulsive at temporal arrangement and jumping the hurdles take the lead at a quicker pace within the 1st two hundred meters than had been the case when he won gold in world-record time within the previous Olympic Games command in Mexico City. Most of the cameras were concentrated on Hemery. But tall Akii was steady catching up and passing the competition that he might clearly see ahead of him. It became apparent that Akii was within the lead before long once the ultimate flip which Hemery was retardation down. Hemery looked unable to help to his left as Akii, 3 lanes down powered  through. Akii still felt robust and, the line was shut, and Akii was confident that the gold would be his! Even once striking the last hurdle, Akii closed onto the line in what was then considered AN astonishing new record 47.82 seconds!

Not till american Angelo Taylor, twenty four years later within the Olympic Games of 1996 command in Atlanta (Georgia) would a four hundred meter-hurdler running within the innermost lane win gold. While Taylor won in 47.50 seconds, a displacement of Akii's world best of 47.82s gold medal win in the inner lane, his photo finish race required many minutes to pass before the final word winner between he and Saudi pilgrim's journey Soua'an Al-Somaily (47.53s) in lane four was determined. This happened on 27th September, 2000.

"Akii-Bua fascinated the fans by show-boating after his victory. He leaped over fanciful hurdles, went into dances, and waved and grinned at admirers" (William Grimsley-"In Pole Vaulting, Rowing U.S. Handed huge Olympic Games Setback" Tuscaloosa News, Sept 3, 1972). Akii-Bua's success, including attending at the Olympic Games in Munchen might not have happened. Many African nations, had vulnerable to massively walk out of the games in protest of the admission of white-ruled Republic of Zimbabwe (now Zimbabwe). Rhodesia became disqualified.

The outcome of the finals is any dramatically illustrated by Kenny Moore ("Sports Illustrated": 'A Play of Light', November 20, 1972):

"...after he had won the race in world-record on going past the finish, barely slowing while his victims slumped and dry-heaved.... The organizing committee had not allowed time for victory laps however the group was on its feet, calling, and Akii detected....bounding over a hurdle and then he floated down the backstretch, clearing each hurdle again, a crimson and black impala jumping joyously over fanciful barriers wherever there have been no real ones, creating one of the few moments of exultation in the Olympics. And after the Games had ended, on notes of violence and regret and disgust, it seemed that Akii-Bua most symbolized what they might have been. He seemed a man eminently worth knowing."

Sam Wollaston in another "Guardian" article (August eleven, 2008) "The Weekend's TV," writes that Akii " the night before his Olympic victory...drank a whole bottle of champagne, provided by his [British] coach [Malcolm Arnold]. To help him sleep."

Malcolm Arnold, a lycee teacher and part-time athletics coach left city for Uganda|African country|African nation} in 1968 wherever he would head coach the Uganda track-and-field team for 5 years. After Akii's successes, Arnold became a national coach in the United Kingdom and is credited with successes of such athletes as hurdler Colin Jackson. Partly because Akii's background of deprivation and meager training facilities, Arnold now in his 70's still considers Akii as his foremost trainee. Just before the race, Arnold had advised Akii to concentrate on running his race and going for the gold instead of worrying about the pace of the other competitors and the pace of first 200 meters.

Kenny Moore (in "Sports Illustrated": 'A Play of Light', November 20, 1972), from an exchange while riding leisurely with Akii in Kampala the Uganda capital, describes him neatly:

" gave a sway of larger bulk than once seen running. His options ar fine, almost delicate, and his complexion very smooth. His eyes ar tiny, allowing his face to be dominated by perfect white teeth."

The 400mh is taken into account to be the foremost attempting track event: it involves combining talent, timing, strength, and stamina. Because throughout that and preceding eras native African hurdlers weren't expected to perform therefore amazingly well, several ar still (erroneously) mesmerised into thinking that Akii-Bua was the primary African Olympic gold medalist.

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