Uganda and Her Best Performances at the Commonwealth Games: Boxers and Track Athletes in the 1970's

 Introduction
It changed into at the Commonwealth of Nations Games of 1970 and 1974, that had been held inside the city Edinburgh in Scotland and in Christchurch in New Zealand respectively, that Uganda's competitors have been maximum triumphant at those quadrennial events.

In 1970, Uganda's performance in boxing turned into the most uplifting with Uganda prevailing three gold medals (James Odwori, Mohamed Muruli, and Benson Masanda) and two silver medals (Leo Rwabwogo and Deogratias Musoke). The other medals won for Uganda had been on the music--William Koskei's silver medal inside the 400 meters-hurdles, and Judith Ayaa's bronze medal in the ladies's 400 meters. Uganda carried out equally properly on the Commonwealth Games of 1970.

Bronze medal wins in boxing, on the Commonwealth Games held in Kingston in Jamaica in 1966, through Alex Odhiambo, Mathias Ouma, and Benson Ocan have been indication that Uganda turned into transferring up in worldwide novice boxing ranks. Uganda's performance at the Commonwealth Games, four years earlier (1962) in Perth in Australia, witnessed Uganda win her first Commonwealth gold with the aid of manner of heavyweight boxer George Oywello. Also dazzling at the venue have been the boxing bronze medal wins via John Sentongo and future countrywide army commander and Olympic Committee member Francis Nyangweso, and the silver medal won by destiny countrywide boxing trainer Kesi Odongo. To buttress Uganda's self belief in the realm of boxing have been Uganda's first and simplest Olympic medal wins, on the 1968 venue Mexico City, by way of boxers Leo Rwabwogo and Eridadi Mukwanga--a bronze and silver medal respectively. That is in spite of the lofty Olympic judging of 1968 and later 1972 that was reputedly tinged with racial bias and favoritism.

Edinburgh, Scotland 1970
At the 1970 Commonwealth of Nations Games, the youngster James Odwori turned into Uganda's boxing competitor inside the flyweight department. The beginning was pretty clean for Odwori, for the reason that he became no longer drawn most of the four out of the overall 10 flyweights that would combat in the initial rounds on July seventeenth. Since the entire numbers of competition inside the very low and the very high weight divisions had been extraordinarily fewer, many had been mechanically placed in the subsequent spherical--the quarter finals. The first flyweight zone-finals bout become on July twentieth. Odwori beat Anthony Kerr of host-usa Scotland, on points, and earned his price ticket to the semi-finals. In the semi-finals that concerned 4 contenders, Odwori was once more scheduled to box in the first bout. By a majority points decision, Odwori impressively beat Mickey Abrams of England, on July twenty second and become via to the finals! Odwori would flow on to conquer Anthony Davis of Wales via factors, to win Uganda's first 1970 Commonwealth Games gold medal. Odwori had impressively set the usual for Uganda boxers. He boxed for the Uganda Prisons and the national teams for more than ten years to come and later went back to his native Kenya in which he became Kenya Prisons boxing instruct and later Kenya country wide educate.

The flyweight department concerned twelve contenders on the Commonwealth Games of 1970. Just like Odwori, Uganda's contender Leo Rwabwogo luckily bypassed the initial round of July seventeenth such that he would first fight as 1 / 4-finalist. On July twentieth Leo Rwabwogo turned into region inside the region-finals to combat Leon Nissen (whose identical twin Henry become also a boxer) of Australia. The referee stopped the contest in the 2nd spherical, a technical knockout in choose of Rwabwogo, allowing Rwabwogo to move on the semi-finals. On July 22nd, Rwabwogo became positioned within the first bantamweight semi-very last bout with opponent 18 12 months-old David Larmour of Ireland who could later turn out to be an Olympian and expert boxer. Rwabwogo gained via a majority factors decision. For the finals, Rwabwogo might conflict with destiny expert and Englishman David (Dave) Needham of Nottingham. Needham ably outpointed Rwabwogo by way of 4-1, allowing Rwabwogo to accept the silver medal. The gold medal had eluded Rwabwogo on the Olympic Games in Mexico City where he settled for bronze; and in the forthcoming Olympics of 1972 that had been held in Munich in Germany, Rwabwogo could once more fall quick of the massive win after being defeated inside the finals. But famed Rwabwogo stays Uganda's most effective double-Olympic medallists and the most effective Ugandan to have captured medals at both the Olympic and Commonwealth Games.

Uganda's bantamweight contender Eridadi Mukwanga had on the Olympic Games of 1968 in Mexico metropolis cemented history by means of becoming the country's first Olympic silver medallist. At these Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Rwabwogo turned into within the very last bout of the bantamweight division scheduled to fight Joe Cooke of Canada. Mukwanga was no longer able to stay as much as his reputation and expectancies, defeated by way of factors with the aid of Joe Cooke of Canada on July 18th. Cooke might in a while also be kicked out of medal contention, whilst he became defeated with the aid of Stewart Ogilvie of Scotland, after the referee stopped the bout within the first spherical.

In the featherweight department Uganda's Deogratias Musoke strutted his feathers. At the preliminaries, on July 18th, Musoke become pitted in opposition to unheralded G. Marisa of Tanzania. The bout went in want of Musoke after the referee halted the competition within the second spherical. On July 21st, inside the region-finals, Musoke moved directly to the semi-finals after beating Eddie Pritchard of Wales through factors. For the semi-finals become scheduled to fulfill with Pakistan's Abdul Samad Mir. The fight did now not materialize due to the fact Samad Mir turned into unable to combat. It have become an smooth walkover in choose of Musoke. The comfort for Pakistan become that Mir's bronze medal was the sole one for the state at this Commonwealth Games' venue. Also, Samad Mir stays one of the most well-known of Pakistani boxers. In the 1970's he was declared "Best Boxer of Asia." He joined the navy and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. He also coached the Pakistani's Army Boxing as well as National groups. Samad Amir surpassed away in May 2009.

In the finals, Musoke might face Kenya's longstanding boxing legend Philip Waruinge whose boxing accolades encompass more than one medals at each the Commonwealth and the Olympic Games. Deogratias Musoke, defeated on points within the finals on July 24th, was presented the featherweight boxing silver medal.

The initial lightweight bout on July 18th, among Uganda's teen Joseph Nsubuga and Olympian Kenneth Mwansa of Zambia, resulted in an early farewell for Nsubuga who was defeated by using factors.

Mohamed Muruli, one in all Uganda's master boxers, had as a lightweight been positioned 5th normal on the Olympics of 1968 in Mexico City. This time, Muruli might represent Uganda as a mild welterweight. There have been twelve competitors on this department and Muruli become fortunate to be drawn into the region-finals and therefore forego fighting inside the preliminaries of July 17th. In the zone-finals, hung on July twentieth, Muruli outpointed Reginald Forde of Guyana. Forde stays one of the maximum famous Guyanese boxers. On September 14th 1978, Reggie Forde was as a professional fighter knocked out within the 5th spherical by means of famed Uganda boxer Ayub Kalule, within the quest for the British Empire Commonwealth identify.

On July twenty second, in the semi-finals, tough-hitting Muruli defeated future Olympian Odartey Lawson of Ghana whilst the referee stopped the fight within the first spherical. Muruli moved on to win the gold for Uganda after outpointing Dave Davis of Wales on July 24th.

The welterweight division witnessed Uganda's Olympian Andrew Kajjo remove Hugo Chansa of Zambia through points on July seventeenth 1970. The next year Chansa could flip professional and in April 1974 he might die from brain injuries soon after being knocked out by Scotland's Don McMillan in a middleweight bout. On June twentieth, Emma Ankudey of Ghana might mar Kajjo's quest for a medal by means of beating him with the aid of factors in the region-finals. Ankudey could eventually win the gold medal and also represent Ghana on the Olympics of 1972 in Montreal.

Uganda's biracial mild-middleweight boxing champion David Jackson became drawn to start combating inside the region-finals, and not combat most of the eight competition inside the preliminaries. As a teen Jackson was placed 5th normal in a number of the light-middleweight competitors on the Olympics of 1968 in Mexico City. This time in Edinburgh, Jackson did not cross some distance, given that on July twentieth the referee halted the bout inside the first round in prefer of Tom Imrie of Scotland. Imrie had gained the Commonwealth silver medal on the preceding venue of Kingston in Jamaica and he remains a famous Scottish boxer. Imrie would be the eventual gold medal winner this time in Edinburgh, and thereafter flow directly to expert combating. His report as a professional pugilist become mediocre. David Jackson would again combat for Uganda at the approaching Olympics (1972) in Montreal, and be located ninth universal inside the welterweight department.

The teenager John Opio moved directly to the sector-finals, after defeating future expert boxer Billy May of Wales, by points on July 20th inside the initial rounds of the middleweight department. But within the area-finals, against Samuel Kasongo of Zambia, Opio become removed after the referee stopped the competition in the third spherical. Opio might represent Uganda on the forthcoming Olympics in Munich.

The preliminaries of the light heavyweight department concerned the second one-round disqualification of Commonwealth bronze medallist and 2-time Olympian George Mathias Ouma on the hands of Johnny Banham of England on July 18th.

Because there had been best seven contestants within the heavyweight department, and six had been positioned inside the zone-finals. It become Uganda's Benson Masanda, most of the seven boxers, who hit the jackpot by robotically being located within the subsequent stage--the semi-finals! The region-finals befell on July 20th. In the semi-finals on July twenty second, Masanda defeated Canada's Jack Meda by means of disqualification in spherical 2. In the finals, on July 24th, Masanda gained gold by way of defeating John McKinty of Ireland by means of factors. Compared to all Uganda's boxing contributors, Masanda had received the gold in quite an clean and unconventional manner. This would be Uganda's 2d Commonwealth Games' gold medal, following that of George Oywello in 1962 in Perth in Australia.

Courtesy of the final tally of gold medals won with the aid of James Odwori, Mohamed Muruli, and Benson Masanda; and silver medals received via Leo Rwabwogo and Deogratias Musoke Uganda had convincingly emerged as Commonwealth of Nations' boxing championships. This changed into the primary collective worldwide victory for Uganda, and the nation rejoicingly appeared forward to greater triumphs at the global stage. The relaxation of Uganda's medals had been simply : the silver medal won by way of William "Bill" Koskei within the four hundred meters-hurdles, and the bronze medal won by means of Judith Ayaa in the four hundred meters-dash. The overall of 3 gold, three silver, and one bronze medal placed Uganda as 9th standard at this Commonwealth match with 7 medals. How might Uganda's boxers fare within the subsequent Commonwealth venue that might be Christchurch in New Zealand in 1974? There had been a army coup in Uganda, commander Idi Amin have become president, the regime became notorious for killings and disappearances of nationals and even foreigners. Anxiety loomed as to whether destructive social and political factors could translate to disappointing performances within the realm of sports. And sure, many elements of sports activities deteriorated all through the regime of Idi Amin, and the pool of capacity and cutting-edge athletes became decreased. But how might Uganda fare in Christchurch, two years to the day into the regime of Idi Amin?

Christchurch, New Zealand 1974
Christchurch hosted the Commonwealth of Nations' Games from January twenty fourth to February 2nd, 1974. The boxing flyweight department noticed the returning of the gold medallist James Odwori of Uganda. In the sector-finals, on January 28th, Odwori knocked out Tanzanian Olympian Bakari Selemani (Seleman) within the 2nd spherical. The semi-finals, held on January thirty first witnessed Odwori defeat Singapore's Syed Abdul Kadir by way of points. Kadir stays one in all Singapore's most renowned fighters, and changed into named "Sportsman of the Year" after his Commonwealth Games' bronze medal win.

The finals of the light flyweight department were held of February 1st. This time, Odwori could be pitted towards Kenyan Stephen Muchoki who remains one of Kenya's most famous boxers. The pretty shorter Muchoki outpointed the champion Odwori, leaving Odwori to accept silver. Muchoki could efficiently guard his Commonwealth gold on the imminent venue Edmonton in Canada, in 1978. His illustrious profession also covered the silver medal win at the World Amateur Championships in Havana in 1974, and later the gold inside the event which changed into hosted with the aid of Belgrade in Yugoslavia in 1978. Muchoki would thereafter move into the professional ranks and even become Africa Boxing Union champion. But he failed in his quest for the European title and the World Boxing Association identify, and he retired from boxing in the course of the late 1980's.

In the region-finals of the flyweight division, on January 29th, Ugandan John Byaruhanga knocked-out John Lawless of Scotland within the 2nd spherical. But in the semi-finals, January 31st, Byaruhanga become defeated on points by means of Olympian Chandra Narayanan of India. Byaruhanga as a result settled with the bronze medal.

Uganda's bantamweight Ali Rojo became drawn as 1 / 4-finalist to combat Olympian Habibu (Habib) Kinyogoli of Tanzania on January twenty eighth. Rojo received by way of factors and moved directly to the semi-finals. Kinyogoli remains one of the most famend of Tanzania's boxer and he is a boxing trainer.

The January thirty first bantamweight semi-final become in choose of Rojo, by using factors, leaving Kenyan Isaac Kuria Maina to head domestic with the bronze. In the finals, on February 1st, Patrick "Pat" Cowdell of England killed Ali Rojo's quest for the gold via prevailing through factors. Rojo had gained the second one boxing medal for Uganda. A famous British boxer, Cowdell would build an excellent boxing profession for the duration of which he became a European Union champion. But he did not win in his fighting for a global name.

Uganda's featherweight competitor was Shadrack (Shadrah? Shadrach?) Odhiambo. On January twenty ninth, within the region-finals, younger destiny Olympian and long-time fighter Odhiambo outpointed Colin Flinn of England. Odhiambo might later as a light welterweight fight for Sweden and win her a bronze medal on the World Amateur Championships in 1982 in Munich. Odhiambo additionally fought for Sweden in the 1980 (Moscow) and 1984 (Los Angeles) Olympics. He did not win any Olympic medals.

In the Christchurch Commonwealth video games semi-very last, Odhiambo ably defeated Dale Anderson of Canada with the aid of factors on January 31st. However, the finals, on February 1st witnessed skilled Commonwealth Games' champion Eddie Ndukwu of Nigeria win the gold medal on a factors choice. Odhiambo had gained Uganda's 0.33 boxing silver medal! Ndukwu might soon flip expert and even reign as British Empire (Commonwealth) featherweight champion. Ndukwu remains the various greater bold names among Nigerian gaming light boxers.

On January twenty seventh, in the preliminaries, a locally famous and closely promising 20 yr-antique light-weight lad Ayub Kalule climbed into the ring to venture Tanzanian William Lyimo who changed into the equal age as Kalule. Kalule received, by way of factors. In 1980, Lyimo elderly 27 would fight at the Olympic Games held in Moscow. He commendably passed the second spherical, however changed into inside the area-finals knocked out within the 1/3 round by way of 20 year-antique Anthony Willis of Great Britain. He might thus settle for 5th position inside the welterweight department. Many African nations boycotted the Olympic venue of Moscow. Heaney later have become a professional boxer, however he might soon retire with out an acclaimed boxing file.

In the region-finals of the Commonwealth Games' light-weight boxing fight in Christchurch, on January 28th 1974, Ayub Kalule ably out-boxed and bloodily facially disfigured 22 year-old Irishman "Sugar" Ray Heaney. The combat is featured on You-Tube wherein Heaney changed into allotted  mandatory counts given the ambitious punishing from the short and tough-punching Kalule.

In the semi-finals, Kalule changed into set to face New Zealand teen Robert Charles Colley. The final results involved Colley being outpointed and settling for the bronze medal.