Uganda’s Mandela National Stadium was the epicentre of East African athletics on Saturday as regional athletes, dignitaries, and fans gathered for the Akii-Bua Memorial International Invitational Meet – a poignant tribute to Uganda’s Olympic icon, John Akii-Bua.
The event began with an early morning surge of energy as Olympic champions Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo officially flagged off the 10km road race at 7:00 AM, setting the tone for a day that blended elite competition with heartfelt commemoration.
Standing tall in memory of their late father, Akii-Bua’s children—Tony, Farida, and Janet—delivered emotional recollections of the lessons he shared before his passing in 1997.
“My dad told me that everyone has a blessing within them,” said Tony Akii-Bua, himself a former athlete. “Your blessing could be in your legs, hands, head, or voice. For me, it was in my legs – and that’s why I won a gold medal.”
Farida Akii-Bua reflected on the international resonance of her father’s name: “Wherever there is sport, you hear the name Akii-Bua—in Africa and the Western world. I feel good, but also emotional seeing him celebrated like this.”
Janet Akii-Bua echoed their sentiments: “My father said the world would expect greatness from us – but reminded us that we each have a hero within. He discovered the hero in his legs and gave Uganda a gold medal.”
The memorial meet, named in honour of the 1972 Munich Olympics 400m hurdles gold medallist, was marked by symbolic performances. In the same race that cemented Akii-Bua’s place in Olympic history, Kennedy Onen powered to victory but was visibly overwhelmed by the weight of the occasion.
“It’s hard to find the right words when running the same race that made him a legend,” Onen admitted.
Akii-Bua’s legacy was further celebrated by Joshua Cheptegei, who credited the late hurdler as a driving force behind his own achievements.
“I drew inspiration from John Akii-Bua,” said Cheptegei. “He paved the way for athletes like us. He left us with a question: if he could win gold, why can’t we? That mindset has driven us forward.”
Current and former Ugandan athletics stars, including Dorcus Inzikuru, Moses Kipsiro, and Halima Nakaayi, also paid homage to Akii-Bua, whose influence continues to resonate through generations of runners.
