Akii-Bua Memorial grows to Shs200m

The Akii-Bua Memorial Invitational Championship was predominantly one set to recognize and honour the legendary John Akii-Bua, Uganda’s first-ever Olympic champion.

However, when Uganda Athletics thought out their 100-year celebrations, the event seemed right. 

And so, a sizable crowd is expected to grace the terraces of Namboole Stadium Saturday during the 23rd Akii-Bua Memorial Invitational.

Uganda Athletics started out as Uganda Native (African) Athletic Association (UNAA) following a meeting by nine clubs at Imperial Hotel in Kampala on April 4, 1925.

These 100-year celebrations are giving the Akii-Bua Memorial a new status. The championship is now rated as a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze label event.

And this is after the event’s prize money structure grew to up to Shs200m. “This will be a historic moment for Uganda’s athletics,” said Uganda Athletics president Dominic Otuchet. 

The Continental Tour, which began in 2020, is graded as the second level of international one-day meetings after the Diamond League.

The Tour is also categorized in levels - Gold, Silver, Bronze and Challenger in the fourth tier. 

The Akii-Bua Memorial, where present and past Uganda's athletics stars are expected to be honoured, will have 10 events for international competitors from countries like Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea and South Sudan.

“We have 10 events for international (competitors), six of them for men, four for women. Each event, the prize money will be $5000 (Shs18.2m). In total we are going to spend $50000 (Shs182),” said Otuchet.

Those events will be 100 metres, 400 metres, 800 metres, 1500 metres, 5000 metres, Akii-Bua’s specialty event 400 metre hurdles and field events in long jump, javelin and shot put for both genders.

One of the most recognizable foreign entries is Kenyan Sarah Moraa, a cousin to Mary Moraa, in the women’s 800 metres. “Hopefully, if we have more funding we can take it to the next level,” Uganda Athletics’ Mohammed Abdallah said.

According to Otuchet, the local events have seven events. “Three for women, four for the men and each with prize money of Shs1.5m,” he added.

Uganda’s top competitors are entered for the international competitions for example 2019 world 800-metre champion Halimah Nakaayi will face Sarah.

“My goal is to break the stadium record,” said Nakaayi, who is the national record holder over the two-lap distance at one minute and 57.26 seconds.

“I think it’s worthy to celebrate the journey and the success of athletics in Uganda,” she added. Meanwhile, sprinters like Haron Adoli and Shida Leni remain in quest for tickets to the Tokyo World Athletics Championships due September in Japan.

“I’m the defending champion of Akii-Bua Memorial so I want to defend my title,” said Adoli, who posted a new 400-metre personal best (PB) mark of 45.21 seconds at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi, Kenya a week ago.

“Given the fact that this time around we are seeing some serious competitions, my aim is to win. The biggest goal of the day is to try and qualify directly for the World Championships,” he added.

Adoli must beat the qualifying standard time of 44.85 seconds to qualify for Tokyo. Leni, who set a new national record 50.93 over the lap at Kip Keino last weekend, must beat the Tokyo mark of 50.75 in front of her home crowd.

No Ugandan has made it to a major athletics championship via direct qualification on home soil since Ronald Musagala produced a memorable 1500-metre victory in 2013 in Namboole thereby earning a ticket to the Moscow 2013 World Championships in Russia.

Thomas Ayeko qualified for the Rio Olympics in 2016 when he beat the 10000-metre qualifying standard at Namboole but his time was the slowest of four in quest for three quota places to Brazil. 

With a better prize money structure, that tide could change, beginning today. On the day-long program, there will be a kids’ race and a 10km fun run which will be flagged off by marathon stars Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo.

Furthermore, there will be band parades, a corporate 4x100 metre relay and a 3000-metre steeplechase fun run.

UGANDA ATHLETICS

Founded: April 4, 1925

First Name: Uganda Native (African) Athletic Association (UNAA)

Inaugural Championships: Aug 3, 1925

First Participating Clubs: 9

Recent Name: Uganda Athletics Federation

New Name: Uganda Athletics

President: Dominic Otuchet

General Secretary: Beatrice Ayikoru 

UGANDA’S ATHLETICS MEDALS AT OLYMPICS

1972 Munich: John Akii-Bua (400m Hurdles Gold)

1996 Atlanta: Davis Kamoga (400m Bronze)

2012 London: Stephen Kiprotich (Marathon Gold)

2020 Tokyo: Joshua Cheptegei (10000m Silver)

2020 Tokyo: Jacob Kiplimo (10000m Bronze)

2020 Tokyo: Peruth Chemutai (3000m Steeplechase Gold)

2020 Tokyo: Joshua Cheptegei (5000m Gold)

2024 Paris: Joshua Cheptegei (10000m Gold)

2024 Paris: Peruth Chemutai (3000m Steeplechase Silver)

UGANDA’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS MEDALS

Athens 1997: Davis Kamoga (Silver, 400m)  

Helsinki 2005: Dorcus Inzikuru (Gold, 3000m SC) 

Osaka 2007: Moses Kipsiro (Bronze, 5000m)

Moscow 2013: Stephen Kiprotich (Gold, Marathon)

Beijing 2015: Solomon Mutai (Bronze, Marathon)

London 2017: Joshua Cheptegei (Silver, 10000m)

Doha 2019: Halimah Nakaayi (Gold, 800m)

Doha 2019: Joshua Cheptegei (Gold, 10000m)

Eugene 2022: Joshua Cheptegei (Gold, 10000m)

Eugene 2022: Jacob Kiplimo (Bronze, 10000m)

Eugene 2022: Oscar Chelimo (Bronze, 5000m)

Budapest 2023: Joshua Cheptegei (Gold, 10000m)

Budapest 2023: Victor Kiplangat (Gold, Marathon)