Dorcus Inzikuru
Encyclopedia
Dorcus Inzikuru (born February 2, 1982 in Vurra, Arua District
) is a Uganda
n athlete competing in steeplechase
. She won the inaugural World title in women's 3000 m steeplechase, as well as the first Commonwealth
title in the event. Her coach is Renato Canova
. Sometimes her name is spelt "Docus". It was misspelled in her passport, and the mistake was perpetuated when she entered international races.
, finishing behing Meseret Defar
, and Tirunesh Dibaba
. She also won at cross country, beating all-comers at the Eurocross
meeting that year.
, Finland
, Inzikuru ended Uganda's 33-year wait for an athletics world title, winning the inaugural women's 3000 m steeplechase event, in a time of 9:18.24 (at the time, the sixth best performance ever). Inzikuru only became aware of the $60,000 prize after winning the final and vowed to use her money to build a house and to help young athletes.
She had competed in the IAAF World Cross Country Championships
that year but she finished in 18th place. In 2006 she won the Oeiras International Cross Country
meeting, but she pulled out of that season's World Cross Country Championships.
race in Namboole on 6 June with a time of 2:12.0, later saying: "This is my first race after over two years. I am just coming back and am proud of my time. It builds my confidence".
, the daughter of an Anglican priest. Her parents were both talented athletes, but did not compete internationally. She was the third of eight children, but lost her two older brothers at the ages of eight and fourteen, to typhoid and malaria
.
Inzikurru is now married to a doctor, Martin Bosco Acidri, a former sprinter.
Inzikuru often lives and trains in Turin
and competes for the Milan
club, Camelot. She often trains with men's world record holder, Saif Saaeed Shaheen
, as the two share the same coach, Renato Canova.
Arua District
Arua District is a district in Northern Uganda. Like most other Ugandan districts, it shares its name with its administrative center of Arua. The district is named after the town.-Location:...
) is a Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
n athlete competing in steeplechase
Steeplechase (athletics)
The steeplechase is an obstacle race in athletics, which derives its name from the steeplechase in horse racing.-Rules:The length of the race is usually 3000 m; junior events are 2000 m, as women's events formerly were. The circuit has four ordinary barriers and one water jump. Over 3000 m, each...
. She won the inaugural World title in women's 3000 m steeplechase, as well as the first Commonwealth
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
title in the event. Her coach is Renato Canova
Renato Canova
Renato Canova is an Italian athletics coach. He coaches the Kenyan born Qatari 3000m Steeplechase world record holder Saif Saeed Shaheen, 10,000 meter runner Nicholas Kemboi , Dorcus Inzikuru , Moses Mosop ,...
. Sometimes her name is spelt "Docus". It was misspelled in her passport, and the mistake was perpetuated when she entered international races.
Career
Inzikuru won the bronze medal in the 5000 metres at the 2003 Afro-Asian GamesAthletics at the 2003 Afro-Asian Games
The athletics events at the 2003 Afro-Asian Games were held from October 28 to October 30, 2003 at the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium. A total of 42 events were contested at the inaugural edition of the Games.-Men:-Women:-Medal table:Key:...
, finishing behing Meseret Defar
Meseret Defar
Meseret Defar is a female long-distance runner from Ethiopia who competes chiefly in the 3000 metres and 5000 metres events. She has won medals at top-tier international competitions including Olympic and World Championship gold medals over 5000 metres...
, and Tirunesh Dibaba
Tirunesh Dibaba
Tirunesh Dibaba also known as Tirunesh Dibaba Kenene is an Ethiopian long distance track athlete and the outdoor 5000 metres world record holder. She is the current Olympic 5000 metres and 10,000 metres champion...
. She also won at cross country, beating all-comers at the Eurocross
Eurocross
Eurocross is an annual international cross country running competition which takes place in Diekirch, Luxembourg in February. It is one of the IAAF permit meetings which serve as qualifying events for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships....
meeting that year.
2005 World Championships
In 2005, at the World Championships, in HelsinkiHelsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, Inzikuru ended Uganda's 33-year wait for an athletics world title, winning the inaugural women's 3000 m steeplechase event, in a time of 9:18.24 (at the time, the sixth best performance ever). Inzikuru only became aware of the $60,000 prize after winning the final and vowed to use her money to build a house and to help young athletes.
She had competed in the IAAF World Cross Country Championships
IAAF World Cross Country Championships
IAAF World Cross Country Championships is the most important competition in international cross country running. Held annually and organised by International Association of Athletics Federations , it was inaugurated in 1973, when it replaced the International Cross Country Championships...
that year but she finished in 18th place. In 2006 she won the Oeiras International Cross Country
Oeiras International Cross Country
The Oeiras International Cross Country is an annual cross country running competition that takes place in Oeiras, Portugal...
meeting, but she pulled out of that season's World Cross Country Championships.
2009 return
After taking two years out from athletics, due to giving birth to her first child (Emmanuelle Munguci) and receiving treatment for sinus infections and various allergies, she returned to competition. She won an 800 metres800 metres
The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...
race in Namboole on 6 June with a time of 2:12.0, later saying: "This is my first race after over two years. I am just coming back and am proud of my time. It builds my confidence".
Personal life
Inzikuru grew up in Vurra, in Arua DistrictArua District
Arua District is a district in Northern Uganda. Like most other Ugandan districts, it shares its name with its administrative center of Arua. The district is named after the town.-Location:...
, the daughter of an Anglican priest. Her parents were both talented athletes, but did not compete internationally. She was the third of eight children, but lost her two older brothers at the ages of eight and fourteen, to typhoid and malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
.
Inzikurru is now married to a doctor, Martin Bosco Acidri, a former sprinter.
Inzikuru often lives and trains in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
and competes for the Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
club, Camelot. She often trains with men's world record holder, Saif Saaeed Shaheen
Saif Saaeed Shaheen
Saif Saaeed Shaheen formerly Stephen Cherono is a steeplechase runner now representing Qatar. He currently holds the world record for 3000 metre steeplechase. His older brother Abraham Cherono is also a steeplechase runner.He was the 1999 World Youth Champion in the steeplechase and set a world...
, as the two share the same coach, Renato Canova.
3000 m Steeplechase
- 2005 World Championships, Gold (9:18.24)
- 2005 World Athletics Final, Gold
- 2006 Commonwealth Games, Gold (9:19.51
5000 m
- 1999 African Games, 6th
- 2000 World Junior Championships, Gold
- 2002 Commonwealth Games, 4th
- 2002 African Games, Silver
- 2003 Afro-Asian Games, Bronze
Cross Country
- 2000 World Junior Championships, 10th
- 2004 World Championships (short course), 38th
- 2005 World Championships (short course), 18th
- 2007 World Championships, DNF
Personal bests
- 800 m, 2:02.00
- One Mile, 4:36.05
- 3000 m, 8:46.29
- 5000 m, 15:05.30
- 2000 m Steeplechase, 6:04.46
- 3000 m Steeplechase, 9:15.04
External links
- 2006 Commonwealth Games, "Ugandan's Golden Games Debut"
- BBC News