Canada would host the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal in Quebec from July 17 to August 1. John Akii-Bua from Uganda, who had won a gold medal in the 400m hurdles and at the same time set a world record (47.82), construction began in late 1975 to defend his Olympic title. Preparation intensified in 1976.

At an international meeting in Berlin on August 22, 1975, Akii Bua won the 400-meter hurdles in 49.2. Significantly, here France’s Guy Drut lowered the world record for the 110-meter hurdles, previously held by American Rodney Milburn, to 13.0.

On June 6, 1976 in Dortmund in a match, Akii-Bua set the world leading time in the intermediate hurdles by winning at 48.58. Frenchman Guy Drut won the 110-meter hurdles with 13.59.

Akii-Bua on June 8, 1976 became the highlight of a German international match held in Dusseldorf, Germany, when he won both the 400-meter sprint and the 400-meter hurdles. The competition, although overwhelmingly of German citizens, was regarded as a qualifier for the 1976 Olympics. Akii-Bua’s victory in 400mh at 48.58 was his personal best of the year. Although excellent and a world leading time then, it would be reduced to the fifth best of the year behind the completion times of Edwin Corley Moses (US), Quentin Wheeler and Tom Andrews (US, 48.55), and Jim Bolding (USA, 48.57)). Finishes of less than 49 seconds had become more common, and dramatized the increasing competition in the intermediate obstacles!

Akii-Bua’s victory in the 400-meter dash final at the Dusseldorf match was a personal best time of 45.82. He was close to Amos Omolo’s Ugandan record of 45.33 set at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, in a quarter-final series in which he won. This heat included the legendary Lee Edward Evans, who would eventually win gold and simultaneously set the first U-44 world record. It would last almost a quarter of a century.

Akii in Dusseldorf beat the next Olympic relay bronze medalist, Germany’s Franz-Peter Hofmeister (46.39), and European record holder and Olympic finalist Karl Honz (West Germany), who fainted in third place. This performance, which took place just a couple of months before Montreal 1976, was Akii’s most in-depth pre-Olympic display of evidence that he was highly in contention for another Olympic medal. Akii trained in the city of Dortmund in Germany in preparation for the Olympics.

Akii, now 26, was expected to skillfully defend his Olympic title, especially given his commendable preparation for the Montreal Olympics which included excellent performances at both track competitions in Europe. Near the end of June, while in Helsinki, Akii-Bua was injured and doctors prescribed two weeks off without training. They told him that he could still make it to the Olympic competition if he had patience. In mid-July 1976, regarding his left hamstring strain, Akii-Bua declared in the Montreal Olympic Village (Associated Press: 1976: 34):

“I can’t get my foot off the obstacle at all. The muscle is sore. I can’t run, Dwight.”

High jump world record holder Dwight Stones later recommended treatment by California chiropractor Dr. Leroy Perry, known for treating a considerable number of world-class athletes; and he was in Montreal as part of the medical staff caring for the Antigua team that was here to compete in the Olympics for the first time.

Legendary American high jumper and friend of Akii, Dwight Stones, would comment on Akii-Bua’s prospects of winning at the Montreal Games (Berger 1976):

“I’m not so sure [that Akii-Bua will win] because Akii has been hurt. If you cannot run at your best, then you would choose [Edwin] Moses “.

Edwin Moses, running in “narrow” lane 2 in Eugene, Oregon, set an American record of 48.30 at the US Olympic Trials on June 21; although running as an intermediate hurdler was relatively new to him. Moses had raced in the 400mh for just three months, but the 48.30 was then the third fastest time in history, after the Munich and Mexico City winning performances of Akii-Bua in 1972 (47.82) and of Britain’s David Hemery in 1968 (48.1).

On July 18, 1976, the 50-year-old Queen Elizabeth of England opened the Games in Montreal. But sadly, many African nations, including Uganda, boycotted the Games. His effort to have New Zealand expelled from the Games by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was not honored. Lord Killanin, the president of the IOC, argued, among other things, that although the New Zealand rugby team was on tour in apartheid South Africa, rugby was not an Olympic sport; therefore, the African boycott was not justified. Other notable African athletes such as Mike Boit of Kenya and Miruts Yifter, therefore, would not compete.

In Montreal on July 25 in the intermediate hurdles final, 20-year-old Edwin Moses, running on favored fairway 4, set a new Olympic and world record (47.63). This was the first time Moses competed at the international level. In a span of 10 years, Moses would claim many victories, including winning an additional Olympic gold medal, winning 122 consecutive races, and breaking the world record four times. Moses established himself as the greatest hurdles in the world.

The following years, 1977 and 1978, were the peak years of political upheaval in Uganda, as Amin’s foothold in Uganda weakened as the regime collapsed as exiles and Tanzanian forces moved closer to overthrow. to the regime. There were rumors that Akii-Bua would be arrested and jailed; he and his family fled to Kenya. Amin’s regime fell in March 1978. The year 1976 was clearly the last significant year for Akii-Bua as an athlete. But the injury came and the boycott of the Olympics came. The confrontation with Edwin Moses that the sports community had hoped for did not happen. Akii’s significant achievement in 1978 was the silver medal at the African Games in Algiers. Their competition had decreased significantly. Akii-Bua did not compete in the 1978 Commonwealth Games (Edmonton) in which Uganda did not participate, nor had he competed in the previous 1974 (Christchurch).

He still tried one last season at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, also heavily boycotted. His performance was mediocre and he did not make it past the semifinals. The Uganda 4x 400m relay team that Akii was a part of didn’t fare well either. Akii-Bua’s namesake John Mugabi won Uganda a silver medal in welterweight boxing. Many countries, including the United States and Kenya, had boycotted the Olympics while protesting the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Cited works

Associated Press. “Injured Gold Medalist: Akii-Bua May Miss Olympics”, in “Observer Reporter” (July 15, 1976).

Berger, Dan. “Track team to win only 5 golds – Stones”, in “Sarasota Journal” (July 14, 1976).