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Malinga, retired Olympian educating budding champs
Alex Malinga.
What you need to know:
The 50-year-old, a former World Championships contender for Uganda, now runs Malinga Sports Primary School - a full-fledged institution offering the national curriculum - while coaching at a Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) camp in Bukwo.
The one trait that never leaves Alex Malinga is his smile. From the moment he greets you to the goodbyes, everything in between radiates warmth.
He shares his running history from the heart, his love for the sport with tenderness, and his passion to keep the torch lit for others with conviction.
History maker
Malinga last raced competitively over 15 years ago, but his footprints still inspire - on the track and beyond.
A two-time Olympian and World Championships finalist, he was a cornerstone of Uganda’s long-distance athletics.
His sixth-place finish at the 2005 Helsinki World Championships, clocking a national marathon record of 2:12:12, stood for over a decade until Stephen Kiprotich eclipsed it with his 2012 London Olympic win.
“It was fun while it stood, but I’m happy Stephen broke it by bringing us our first gold since John Akii-Bua in 1972,” Malinga acknowledged, the pride in both his feat and Kiprotich’s shining through his grateful, smiling face.
Transformative
Now 50, Malinga shapes the next generation - not just as a coach at the UAF camp in Bukwo, but as the founder of Malinga Sports Primary School, where education and athletic dreams intertwine.
“Sports and education go together,” he said. “As athletes, our time running is short, so it made sense to nurture both talent and learning.”
What began as a nursery has grown into a thriving school with a candidate class.
On our visit, a clean-shaven Malinga - dressed in a sports shirt, casual trousers, and trainers - proudly yet humbly guided us through modest classroom buildings, with his pupils standing to applaud.
Beyond the horizon
These now house 313 pupils, almost evenly split between boys and girls, reflecting his commitment to equality and growth.
“Of course, after running, you think - what can I do? You have a family to feed, so you start searching,” he shared, settling into a chair in the administration office. His voice was steady, reflective.
Above us hung a portrait of a younger Malinga, frozen mid-stride from his competitive days, while a trophy gleamed quietly on a cupboard.
“Nurturing the next stars came naturally - I’ve always loved coaching. Then you want to do more for yourself and the community. That’s how the school started. We began as a nursery and kept growing. Now, here we are.”
But he’s not done dreaming. “We’re not where we want to be yet - it’s not easy. We need support from the government and beyond to improve structures and materials. I hope this reaches those who can help.”
On the training front, Malinga coaches national athletes at the Kapkoros camp in Bukwo. The hostel where athletes reside was built with aid from the Netherlands Embassy.
Malinga stands at the back of a classroom at his school. PHOTO/ANDREW MWANGUYHA
Lack of training facilities
While the UAF covers accommodation and meals, he sees gaps. “We don’t have a standard facility with a good running track,” he explained.
“The Kiprotich High Altitude Training Centre in Kapchorwa is great, but it’s 75kms from Bukwo - too far, too costly in money, energy, and morale.”
He broke it down: distance, transport, food, recovery - all pile up. “You can’t travel daily or train for just one day. The simple fix is a facility here in Bukwo - nothing fancy, just a decent track.
“We have produced so many athletes here, like Boniface Kiprop, Moses Kipsiro, and Peruth Chemutai. With a training facility here, we would produce even more.”
As of now, some Bukwo runners occasionally train 28 kilometers away in Endebess, Kenya, rather than trek to Kapchorwa. “It shouldn’t be that way,” Malinga said.
He also championed grassroots coaches, urging the Ministry of Education and Sports to pay them.
“We on the national team get something, but these grassroot coaches are shaping talent from the ground up - they’re the unsung heroes putting Uganda on the map. They deserve support through the federation.”
For now, Malinga presses on, guiding youngsters by the hand - on the track and in the classroom - his footprints still blazing a trail for tomorrow’s champs.
Malinga Fact File
Name: Alex Malinga
Date of Birth: July 27, 1974 (50 years old)
Place of Birth: Bukwo, Uganda
Major Championships
Olympic Games (Marathon)
2008: 2:18:26 (31st), Aug 24 - Beijing, China
2000: 2:24:53 (57th), Oct 1 - Sydney, Australia
World Championships (Marathon)
2007: 2:20:36 (12th), Aug 25 - Osaka, Japan
2005: 2:12:12 (6th), Aug 13 - Helsinki, Finland
Personal Bests
Marathon: 2:12:12 - Helsinki, Finland (Aug 13, 2005)
Half Marathon: 1:03:41 - Vilamoura, Portugal (Oct 4, 2003)
20 Kilometres Road: 1:03:06 - Debrecen, Hungary (Oct 8, 2006)
Notable Results by Event
20 Kilometres Road
2006: 1:03:06 - Debrecen, Hungary (Oct 8)
Half Marathon
1998: 1:04:33 - Zürich, Switzerland (Sept 27)
2002: 1:03:51 - Djibouti, Djibouti (Feb 23)
2003: 1:03:41- Vilamoura, Portugal (Oct 4)
2004: 1:05:05 - Djibouti, Djibouti (Feb 20)
2005: 1:05:03 - Djibouti, Djibouti (Feb 18)
2006: 1:05:57 - Djibouti, Djibouti (Feb 17)
2009: 1:06:17 - Djibouti, Djibouti (Feb 22)
Marathon
2000: 2:24:53 - Olympic Stadium, Sydney, Australia (Oct 1)
2002: 2:18:55 - Venezia, Italy (Oct 27)
2005: 2:12:12 - Olympiastadion, Helsinki, Finland (Aug 13)
2006: 2:13:06 - Nairobi Marathon, Kenya (Oct 29)
2007: 2:17:17 - Luxembourg, Luxembourg (May 20)
2008: 2:18:26 - National Stadium, Beijing, China (Aug 24)
2009: 2:25:59 - Torino, Italy (Apr 19)
2010: 2:17:38 - Nairobi Marathon, Kenya (Oct 31)
