Olympic champion John Akii-Bua embodies the emergence of African nations | EUROtoday

OIt will probably be remembered that he was the primary to take a lap of honor after his victory. Inaugurating an emblematic custom of the Games – the one competitors the place one flies the flag of 1's nation – he was the primary to grab a flag – Ugandan – held out by a spectator and brandish it on tv. “I didn’t think about what I was doing. I had won, I didn't want it to end. I wanted to thank everyone,” mentioned John Akii-Bua, winner of the 400 meter hurdles in Munich on September 2, 1972. We can even do not forget that he was the primary Ugandan Olympic champion, confirming that the African continent needed to be reckoned with.