The Greatest Ugandan Sports Personalities

Uganda has a proud sporting history having fostered a number of internationally renowned athletes. Our list includes just three of the most well-known. All three athletes were not just great at their respective sports but they transcended their sporting personas to become heroes to many in Uganda.
 

John Akii Bua – Munich 1972

 
Arguably one of the greatest athletes in Uganda’s history, John Akii Bua is credited with winning the country’s first Olympic medal at the Munich games in 1972. Akii didn’t just win his 400m hurdles final though. The Ugandan smashed the event’s record running a 47.82 and stunning the world.
 
In 1976, Uganda and several other African nations chose to boycott the Olympics robbing Akii Bua of a chance to compete for a second Olympic gold medal. Despite this, he would go on to win a gold and silver medal at the Africa Games in 1973 and 1978 respectively.
 

Stephen Kiprotich – 2012 Olympics

 
During the 2012 London Olympic marathon, Kiprotich shocked everyone with a commanding performance that saw him break away three miles from the finish. His final kick was so powerful that he managed to pick up 26 seconds from second placed Abel Kirui finishing with a time of 2:08:01.
 
Kiprotich’s gold medal was only Uganda’s second in Olympic history, the first being won 40 years earlier by another athlete on our list, John Akii Bua. With his last minute heroics, Kiprotich cemented his name in Ugandan sport’s history as one of the county’s most beloved athletes.
 

Majidu Musisi – Football

 
Musisi is generally considered to be Uganda’s greatest footballer. The striker was the first footballer from Uganda to play in Europe signing for French giants Stade Rennes in 1992 for an impressive $180,000. At home, Musisi won the Super League Golden Boot four times and was named footballer of the year twice. He scored more than 200 league goals, played for eight teams over a 23-year career, and scored hat tricks three times for the national team.
 

Majidu Musisi died on 13 December, 2015 at just 38 following a protracted illness.
 

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