Uganda Athletics (UA) has finalized preparations for the 24th edition of the annual Akii-Bua Memorial Track and Field Championships, scheduled for Saturday, June 13, 2026, at the Uganda Christian University (UCU) Sports Grounds in Mukono.
The championship, one of the country’s most significant athletics events, will feature 22 track and field disciplines as athletes compete while also honoring the legacy of Uganda’s greatest Olympian, John Akii-Bua.
The competition commemorates Akii-Bua’s historic achievement at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, where he won gold in the men’s 400-metre hurdles and set a world record of 47.82 seconds — a mark that also became an African record. More than five decades later, the performance remains Uganda’s national record.
The event programme includes the men’s and women’s 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1,500m, 3,000m and 5,000m races, as well as field events such as the long jump, shot put, discus and javelin.
According to Uganda Athletics, the championships will serve as the final qualification opportunity for athletes seeking places on Uganda’s team for the 2026 World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Oregon, United States, scheduled for August 4–9. The meet will also provide an important build-up competition for athletes preparing for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 27 to August 1, 2026.
Akii-Bua remains one of Africa’s most celebrated athletics figures. Initially specializing in the 110-metre hurdles, he later switched to the 400-metre hurdles, where he achieved international fame.
His triumph in Munich remains one of the greatest upsets in Olympic history. Entering the Games with limited international experience and having finished fourth at the 1970 Commonwealth Games, Akii-Bua stunned a strong field that included Britain’s David Hemery and American Ralph Mann. His winning time of 47.82 seconds not only shattered the world record but also made him the first athlete ever to run the event in under 48 seconds.
Akii-Bua was unable to defend his Olympic title after Uganda joined several countries in withdrawing from the 1976 Montreal Olympics.
Beyond athletics, he served as a senior police officer, briefly worked as a coach, and was a member of the National Council of Sports. He died in Kampala in 1997 at the age of 48.
The annual memorial championships continue to celebrate his extraordinary contribution to Ugandan and African athletics while providing a platform for the country’s next generation of talent to showcase their abilities on the national stage.
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