John Akii-Bua

John Akii - Bua ( born December 3, 1949 in Lira, † June 20, 1997 in Kampala ) was a Ugandan athlete.

Career

Akii - Bua was run at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, the 400 meters hurdles in the men's world record time of 47.82 seconds and won the first Ugandans a gold medal at the Olympic Games. Until 40 years later won Akii - Buas compatriot Stephen Kiprotich at the 2012 Olympic Games in London in the marathon, the second Olympic gold medal for Uganda.

In 1970, Akii - Bua had become in 51.14 seconds in fourth at the British Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh. In 1973 he was African champions.

However, the regime of dictator Idi Amin paid tribute to exceptional athletes no respect, but tried the successes of popular athletes to conceal; Akii - Bua was even given house arrest. Background was that the Muslim President who murdered Christians and Akii - Bua was a Christian. At the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, he was unable to start because all African countries boycotted the games. In the aftermath Akii - Bua was imprisoned. After his escape from prison, he was able to leave the country and went to Germany, the site of his greatest success, and lived here until the end of the dictatorship amine in 1983. Nevertheless, he competed at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow for Uganda. About the hurdle stretch, he retired in 51.10 seconds in the intermediate run. Even with the Ugandan 4x400 - meter relay, he did not reach the final.

End of June 1997 was Akii - Bua, now widowed father and eleven times, admitted with severe abdominal pain in the Mulago Hospital in Kampala, where he probably died a short time later at a stomach cancer. In his homeland him a state funeral was prepared.

Bests

  • 400 meters: 45.82 seconds (1976 )
  • 400 meters hurdles: 47.82 seconds (1972, world record)
  • Decathlon: 6933 Points ( 1971)
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