Judith Ayaa and Athletic Performance: Africa, Commonwealth Games, Olympics, Pan Africa-USA Meet

Judith Aya was born on July 15, 1952 in the sub-county of Kochgoma in the Nwoya district of Uganda. Young Aya became a resonating name among African women’s track stars at a time when African women’s participation in athletics was primarily in the early amateur stages. Ayaa became the first Ugandan woman to win a Commonwealth Games medal. There are three female Uganda Commonwealth Games medalists who have followed her footsteps: Ruth Calishima (Calishima / Calishima) won the silver medal in the 400-meter hurdles (57.10) in Brisbane in 1982, and the gold medalist at 3000 meters. Dokas Insicle wins-a bronze medalist who performed a steeple chase in the Melbourne in 2006, set a game record (9: 19.51) and was third in the Glasgow 800 meters (2: 01.38) in 2012. Winny Nanyond.

Judith Ayaa’s track career was short-lived, albeit quite fulfilling.

Judith Aya’s record at the East and Central African Championships in Athletics is amazing. In 1968 (Dar es Salaam), Ayaa won the gold medal in the 100-meter sprint and finished at 11.5. The following mid-August 1969, Ayaa confirmed her formidability in the same championship (Kampala), which won the 100m (11.8), 200m (25.0) and 400m (53.6). Recognized as an athletics legend in Zambia, Jane Chicambuwe won the silver medal behind Aya at 100 and 200 meters. Here in Kampala in 1969, Aya was a member of Uganda’s 4x100m relay team, which won the championship in 49.5. That same year, Judith Aya ranked among the top 10 women’s 400m runners in the world, based on her personal best time of 53.6.

In the same ECA Championship (Nairobi) in 1970, Judith Aya kept up. A slim young woman with a “Mercedes-Benz” body won again in the 100m (11.8), 200m (24.1) and 400m (54.0s).

Judith Ayaa established her position as an international female athlete at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1970. In these competitions, Judith Ayaa especially competed in the 100m and 400m. On July 17, Ayaa participated in the first heat of the five 100m qualifying rounds. He finished second in 11.92 seconds after Australia’s Jenny Lamy and performed quite well. However, the next day’s semi-finals were not very fruitful for Aya. She was placed second in the two semi-final heats, beaten to sixth place (11.93) and excluded from advancing to the finals. Later that day, Australia’s Raelene Boyle won the final, followed by Ghana’s legendary Alice Annum and Australia’s Marion Hoffman.

There were far fewer 400m competitors, so there were only two rounds of competition. On July 22, Aya participated in the second of the two heats of the first round. Ayaa won in a relatively astonishing time of 52.86 seconds. This is a new record for Uganda and Africa. Ayaa’s finish time was ranked 11th in the world in 1970. Alice Anum, who was scheduled to play in the same round, did not start.

Aya advanced to the final, which will be contested the next day. But perhaps she was too fast instead of running relaxed, but it was enough to automatically make it into the top four of each round in the finals. Australia’s Sandra Brown was second, one second behind Aya. Another semi-final heat, when Marilyn Neufville won 53.05, was more relaxed and clever.

The next day’s final, a small but legendary 17-year-old Jamaican Marilyn Faye Neufville won the world record 51.02. Neufville defeated Australian silver medalist Sandra Brown (53.66) by more than two seconds. She shortened the previous world record of 51.7 (1969) set by France’s Colette Besson and Nicole Duclos by almost a second. Judith Ayaa, after slowing near the end of the race, was overtaken probably due to fatigue from unnecessary effort in the semi-finals, finishing third (53.77) in a photo finish after Sandra Brown and winning the bronze medal. did. Fatigue probably sacrificed her at least a silver medal. But Federal Bronze will be one of Ayaa’s most admired international possessions!

Marilyn Neufville’s wonderful career was short-lived due to physical injuries and trivial surgery. At the Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1974, Neufville finished sixth in the 400-meter final. And at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada, she participated in the first round of the 400m and qualified for the next round, but was unable to advance to the next round due to an injury. did.

Aya’s next major event will take place from July 16-17, 1971, at Duke University’s Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, North Carolina. It was the United States vs. Africa and other World Championships (sometimes called the United States-Pan-African Athletics Competition). The event that captivated a large audience of 52,000 spectators was the African team, which was united with the US team and other countries (14 countries in total). Perhaps the main attraction was the 1500m Olympic gold medalist Kipchoge Keino. He was revered and renowned for his track rivalry with American middle-distance legend and 1500m world record (3: 33.1) holder Jim Ryan. Here at Duke, Keino intended to break this world record.

Other internationally acclaimed runners at the competition included Kenya’s Amos Biwat (Olympic Champion) and Tunisia’s long-distance legend Mohammed Gammoody. Ugandan hurdle John Akii Bua, who was little known internationally, also participated.

Judith Aya won gold medals at these 54.69 US-Pan African Games. The second was Gwendolyn Norman (USA) from Sports International at 55.42, the third was Jarvis Scott (USA) from Los Angeles Mercurettes at 56.0, and the fourth was Titi Adeleke (Nigeria) at 59.52. John Akii Bua won the middle hurdle and set the world’s best time in 1971, Africa’s record (49.0). The smooth voyage “flying policeman” Akii was nominated for the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. At the same time, Ayaa has gained international acclaim, though not at Akii’s level. Kipchoge Keino couldn’t break the world record at 1500m, but he clearly led and finished with a very good 3: 34.7.

John Myers broadcasts Akii Bua’s comment, sometimes referred to here as “John Akii Buba” (1971: 6A).

Other notable athletes at the athletics competition included American Rod Milburn and Rondraper (high hurdles), Kenyan Robert Ouko (800m), and Benjamin Gypcho (obstacle race). .. Steve Prefontaine (USA) and Miltwifter (Ethiopia) at 5000 meters, John Smith (USA) at 400 meters.

Nevertheless, in 1971, Ayaa won the East African and Central African Championships in Lusaka, Zambia, at 400 meters (54.7). She was also part of the team that won the Ugandan gold medal in the relay: 4x100m (48.7) and 4x400m (3: 50.5).

The next big challenge for Ayaa, the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany, will be interesting. In the first round, Ayaa in Lane 2 finished fourth (52.85 seconds) in the quarterfinals. In the quarterfinals, Judith Ayaa was drawn into lane 7 in 2 out of 4 heats. The first four finishers of each heat will advance to the semi-finals. Ayaa comfortably finished in 3rd place, setting a record of 52.68 in Uganda and Africa. Uganda’s personal record for Ayaa will last for over 30 years. Notably, in these quarterfinals, Ayaa defeated France’s 26-year-old Colette Besson at the same event at the last (1968) Olympic Games in Mexico City. Besson was in Lane 3 and finished in 5th place, so he couldn’t move on to the next round.

Aya advanced to the semi-finals of the Olympics. She was in Lane 2 and finished in 7th place in 52.91 seconds. Ayaa performed quite commendably, but the international competition was formidable, and Ayaa was eliminated at her first and last Olympic Games. Eighth rival West Germany’s Christel Frese fell during the race and did not finish.

In 1972, Ayaa became a four-time gold medalist in the 400 meters of the East and Central African Championships. Ayaa’s victory time in Dar es Salaam this time was 55.7. She was part of the Ugandan team who won the gold medal at 4x100m (48.7).

Since 1972, Ayaa’s performance record will be blurred. She got married, started giving birth to children one after another, and neglected to play sports. Amin’s turbulent administration exacerbated the situation. Athletes have received far less financial compensation for their hardships and injuries than they have increased in recent decades. The end of Ayaa was never fascinating. I was disappointed. At some point after her life, Aya struggled and sometimes begged on the streets of Kampara while caring for her two young children. She crushed stones to make a living. Aki Ibua, who was also a national teammate with Aya at the 1972 Olympics, helped to draw attention to and intervene in Aya’s plight. She was found and a European benefactor helped with the cost. Unfortunately, in 2002 Aya died at the Murago Hospital in Kampara at the young age of 48 or 49. Ironically, Akiibua, who was still unsuccessful at the time, died in early 1997 at the same hospital at about the same age as Aya.

Ayaa’s women’s course rule was short, but wonderful and lasting. Trophy and national and regional competitions in northern Uganda are commemorated under the name Judith Aya.

Quoted work

Myers, John. “Hosts Winning Score in Pan Africa Meet” from “Carolina Times” (July 24, 1971).