The Monitor (Kampala)
Sande Bashaija
26 July 2007
Kampala — WORLD steeplechase champion Dorcus Inzikuru on Tuesday evening caused excitement at Lugogo Indoor Stadium as she turned out in a rare outfit that failed to hide her bulging tummy.
The track queen had come to officiate at the ongoing Falcons Invitational Basketball Tournament. But fans lost interest in the basketball and concentrated on her previously slim waistline that has now lost shape. Well known for sporting tight tracksuits, the track queen was dressed in loose-fitting garb that touched her feet.
Her movement was equally not of the usual runner, who won gold at last year's World Athletics Championships in Helsinki, Finland. The dress code and movement prompted the curious fans to question whether the runner is pregnant.
The track queen cheered relentlessly until Uganda's Warriors lost 80-82 to Burundian Giants New Star and when given chance to address the fans, they were less interested in the speech and kept inquiring about her health, her changing body shape and reports of her collapsing on a bus.
Some rowdy fans yelled at the journalists present, accusing the press of "covering up" the track star's state. "Why have you been telling us lies that she is sick," some fans shouted.
But Ms Inzikuru stuck to sports issues and ignored any questions about her health. "I am getting better and will return to the track and put Uganda on the World map," she said.
A source had earlier told Daily Monitor that Ms Inzikuru is expecting a baby and could give birth before this year ends. The champion has been refusing to take calls from the press.
When reached for comment, her MP (Arua Municipality) Akbar Hussien Godi said, "If her husband can offer her a blissful pregnancy then we wish her well." However, he expressed concern over Ms Inzikuru's perpetual lack of money.
"Sometimes she comes to Arua Park from abroad after running and asks for transport of Shs20,000. It puzzles me, " Mr Godi said.
Ms Inzikuru was greatly honoured for her 2005 Helsinki-Finland feat where she won 3000m steeplechase, earning Uganda's first major track and field gold medal in 33 years, the last one having been won by John Akii-Bua in 1972. She consolidated her status as the 3000m steeplechase queen with another gold at last year's Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia.
However, since then Inzzi, as she is popularly known, has made headlines for health complications rather than excellence on the track. She failed to complete the senior women's 8km race at the World Cross Country Championships on March 24 in Mombasa, Kenya and has since not competed.
In May 2005, the national 5000m record holder, revealed she was diagnosed with a minor allergy that only disturbed her in polluted environments and very cold weather.
She has nonetheless since then failed to get back to her best. Since 2005, she has collapsed several times, the most recent being when she caused a scare in a Gaaga Bus while travelling to her hometown of Arua.
On the way to the Mombasa Championships, officials and athletes were kept on their feet in the team bus as the team captain (Inzikuru) collapsed three times before reaching the coastal town.
She was rushed to hospital on reaching Mombasa and could not train until race day. She dropped out of the race and it was the same story on the journey back to Kampala.
In April, Ms Inzikuru travelled back to her Italian base to 'prepare' for the just concluded 9th All Africa Games but came back a few weeks later after she reportedly failed to adapt to the weather.
She came back and didn't make it to Algiers where she could have scooped some silverware for Uganda and neither will she defend her World Championships gold medal in Osaka, Japan next month.
She was last month diagnosed with a nasal infection before being operated on at Mulago Hospital. "There was a mis-diagnosis. We were told it is an allergy, but she (Inzikuru ) was actually suffering from a serious nasal condition. She had a minor operation and is recovering well," Uganda Athletics Federation President Dan Tamwesigire, was quoted in one of the local newspapers as saying. Since her operation, Inzzi had not made a public appearance until Tuesday when she came to Lugogo.
It has emerged Ms Inzikuru is happily married to a medical assistant, Bosco Ochidi, who also doubles as an accountant at Kuluva Hospital in Arua district. The runner also hails from Vvura village in Arua district. Sources close to the couple claim Ms Inzikuru got married to Bosco at a low-key traditional wedding in Arua in 2000.
She is a daughter to Mr Jackson Luluwa and Ms Joyce Temaru. Ms Inzikuru is currently staying with her husband in Kuluva Hospital staff quarters despite owning a house the government built for her in recognition of her contribution to building the national image.
Career Highlights
2000: World Junior Championships gold
2003: Afro-Asian Games silver medal
2003: All Africa Games silver medal
2005: World Athletics Championships gold medal
2006: Commonwealth Games gold medal
National Records
3000m - Steeplechase African record 9:15.04
3000m - National record 8:46.92
2000m - Steeplechase National record 6:04.46
5000m - National record 15:05.30
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2007 The Monitor. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
