THE JOHN AKII BUA STORY: AN AFRICAN TRAGEDY

At the Munich Olympics of 1972, John Akii Bua, from the impoverished African country of Uganda, powered round the inside lane in the 400m hurdles, past the English favourite, and reigning Olympic Champion David Hemery, to win the gold medal, 10m clear of the field. The clock showed 47.82, an astonishing new world record. John Akii Bua had become the first man to break the 48 seconds barrier in the 400m hurdles, an event so gruelling its nickname is ‘The Mankiller’.

This is the story of that amazing triumph – and what happened next. John Akii Bua returned to a Uganda carving the name of its military “President”, Idi Amin, into genocidal notoriety. Akii Bua’s tribe, the Langi, were the primary victims of Amin’s slaughter – and John’s national popularity could only protect him for so long.

‘The John Akii Bua story: An African Tragedy’ is the story of one man, and of Africa itself; its glory, potential - and tragedy.