Uganda’s first ever Olympics gold medallist John Akii-Bua has been chosen as Uganda’s greatest sports personality of all time according to the Kawowo Sports readers.
In a poll that lasted exactly 30 days (13th, February – 13th, March) on the Kawowo website, the 1972 Munich 400m hurdles champion got 140.93 votes out of 293 voters accounting for 48.1%. The reasons advanced by readers for considering Akii bua include being the first Ugandan to achieve that feat, his gold medal in the 1973 All Africa Games in Lagos and the Silver medal in Algiers 1978.
Fellow Olympics gold medal winner Stephen Kiprotich came second with 18.1% with readers considering his recent exploits at the 2012 London Olympics where he won the gold in the 42km marathon.
In third came former Pepsi FC, SC Villa, Stade Rennes, Bursaspor and Cranes striker Magid Musisi who amassed 15.7% of the votes. The readers considered the fact that Musisi was the first Ugandan soccer player to play professional football in Europe after signing for French side Stade Rennes in 1992. Besides, Musisi also holds the record as the only player to have won the Ugandan league golden boot on four occasions (1987, 1988, 1990 and 1992).
Surprisingly, 1978 Africa Nations Cup top scorer Phillip Omondi came fourth in the poll managing only 9.2% while Uganda’s greatest boxer John ‘the beast’ Mugabi came fifth with 8.9% of the votes.
Mugabi is considered by most as Uganda’s greatest boxer of all time. He won a silver medal in the 1980 Olympic Games.
Kawowo Sports zeroed on these five sports men after the readers considered them in an earlier poll as the top five from which to choose the greatest ever.
SUMMARISED POLL RESULTS:
John Akii-Bua – 48.1%
Stephen Kiprotich – 18.1%
Magid Musisi – 15.7%
John “The Beast” Mugabi – 8.9%
Phillip Omondi – 9.2%
