Erasmus Samuel Amukun: Ugandan sprinter and geologist

Erasmus Samuel AO Amukun was born on November 27, 1940 in Ngora in Kumi in eastern Uganda. He is best known for his exploits as a collegiate and international sprinter and as a professional geologist. He represented Uganda at the Commonwealth Games of the British Empire, the Olympic Games, and the East and Central African Games. Amukun is also credited with beating Kenyan sprint legend and future Commonwealth Games (1962, Perth) double sprint gold medalist Seraphino Antao in one race.

In 1958, at the Commonwealth Games at Cardiff in Wales (July 17-26, 1958), the adolescent Amukun did not advance beyond the fifth of twelve preliminary heats in the 100-yard sprint. In series 5 he finished in 9.9 seconds, in fourth place. But his teammate Benjamin Kiyini Nduga, who had finished ahead of Antao, qualified and went on to the semi-finals where he would be eliminated. At 220 yards, Amukun was second in the eighth (22.14) of the nine preliminary round heats. Later, in the fourth of the six quarterfinal round heats he had qualified for, he was eliminated after finishing third in 22.1. But at 4×100 yards, the Ugandan relay team that Amukun was a part of finished sixth in the final (42.1). Also on the Uganda relay team were Ben Nduga, Ignatius Okello and S. Bwowe. They had advanced to the final after finishing third (42.47) in the first round which was a semi-final.

Amukun, 19, was the captain of the Uganda team at the 1960 Olympics in Rome. In the young Uganda team, Amukun was the youngest and Aggrey Awori, 21, the oldest.

On August 31, 1960, Erasmus Amukun competed in the fourth of the nine heats of the first round of the 100 meters in which the three fastest in each series would advance to the next round: the quarterfinals. He finished third at 10.80, qualifying for the next round. In particular, in this first round, the 21-year-old Ugandan teammate Aggrey Awori (Awoori) who competed in the third series was eliminated after finishing fifth (11.09). Kenyan Seraphino Antao (10.64) finished comfortably first in the first heat of this preliminary round and thus progressed to the quarter-finals.

In the quarterfinals later in the day, Amukun positioned himself to race in the third of four heats. He would finish fourth (10.75) and would be eliminated since he was not among the top three classified in the series. But this would be the fastest he would ever officially run in the 100 meters. In the past he finished third in the fourth round (10.61) and went on to the semifinals. On September 1, Antao finished sixth (10.72) in the second of the two semi-final heats, and became ineligible for the final.

The 200-meter competition kicked off on September 2, and Amukun was placed in the fifth heat of a dozen first-round heats in which the top two finishers from each heat would advance to the quarter-final round. Amukun finished second (21.38) and went on to the quarterfinals. This would officially be the best of his life in the 200 meters. Meanwhile, Antao won in the eleventh series (21.44), easily reaching the next round.

In the 200-meter quarterfinals held on the same day, Amukun placed himself in the first of four heats. He finished fourth (21.47) and was eliminated from advancing to the semifinals as he was not in the top three finishers in the series. He also finished fourth, but in the second set of the quarterfinals there was Seraphino Antao (21.43) who was also eliminated.

Uganda also competed in the 4x100m relay scheduled for September 7, 1960. There were four heats in the first round and Uganda finished fifth with 41.90, but had already been disqualified. In some of the other heats, Poland and France were also disqualified. Uganda’s relay team also included Aggrey Awori, Jean Baptiste Okello, and Gadi Ado.

In 1961, at the East and Central African Championships at the Nakuru venue in Kenya, Erasmus Amukun won at 440 yards in 48.0 seconds. Samuel Amukun was also part of Uganda’s 4×100-yard relay team that won 43.1 at Nakuru.

Near the end of 1961, Amukun successfully completed the 2-year Cambridge Advanced High School Certificate, majoring in science, at King’s College Budo (Buddo) near Kampala, where he was residing at Mutesa House.

Sam Amukun competed in the annual IC4A (or ICAAAA, (Intercollegiate Amateur Athletes Association of America), which is a men’s competition held at different colleges each year. Amukun was then an undergraduate student at Colgate Hamilton University in New York. At the IC4A at Villanova in Pennsylvania in late May 1964, Amukun won at 100 yards at 9.7. It was a photo-final with Earl Horner of Villanova University, and it was decided that Amukun chest forward in the tape had won (Green 1964: 5).

At the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, 23-year-old Amukun would represent Uganda in the 200-meter and 4×100-meter relay. Placed in the second heat of eight preliminary rounds, Amukun finished fifth (21.55) on October 16 and was eliminated as he was not in the top four finishers in the series. Kenyan Antao advanced to the quarter-final qualifiers after finishing second in the third tie (21.52). In the past he would be eliminated in the quarterfinals.

On October 20, the Uganda 4x100m relay team consisting of Awori, Amukun, James Odongo and Amos Omolo finished sixth (41.4) in the third of three first round heats; so the team did not advance to the semifinals.

Revenge was sweet at the 1965 IC4A annual championships held in Brunswick, New Jersey in late May. Here, Villanova’s Horner, who had lost to Colgate’s Amukun in the 100-yard in 1964, won in both short sprints, and Amukun finished third in the 100-yard sprint. But earlier that same year, in early May, the Ugandan Olympian had triumphed in both short sprints on the track, where the Raiders of Colgate took on Syracuse University (Orange) at Syracuse’s Archbold Stadium. Also, in mid-April at Cornel University vs. Colgate encounter Amukun, the record holder for the encounter, was beaten in second place on both short sprints by Cornel’s Charles Blaugrund (9.9 at 100 yards) on the second effort at 100 yards. dash was enough to beat Colgate’s Sam Amukun, the match’s record holder and one of the favorites at the event. Amukun had covered the distance in 9.6 seconds the previous week. In the 220-yard sprint, again Blaugrund (22.5) was followed by the Ugandan at the finish line.

Just before Amukun died in 1998, at age 57, he was the exploration manager for Northwest Explorations in Canada. Amukum earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Colgate in 1966 while on a track and field scholarship. He would acquire a master’s degree in geology from the University of Manitoba in 1969. The title of his master’s thesis is: “Petrography of the gold vein rocks of the Bissett area, southeastern Manitoba.”

Amukun returned to Uganda to work at Falconbridge’s Kilembe mine, but fled to Canada with his wife in 1972 due to insecurity and unrest from Idi Amin’s dictatorial military regime.

After his death, it was reported that after leaving Uganda for 25 years, Amukun worked as a field geologist for the Geological Survey of Ontario, Noranda and Urangesellschaft, and then started his consulting business. In 1996, he joined Northwest Explorations and became an exploration manager for the company’s Guyanese projects. He was a member of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum, the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada, and the Geological Association of Canada.

Samuel Erasmus Amukun compiled and wrote extensively and his books include: “Precambrian Geology, Little Marshall Lake Area” (1989), “Geology of the Klob Lake Area, District of Thunder Bay” (1984), “Geology of the Willet Lake Area” , Thunder Bay District “(1979),” Geology of the Tashota Area, Thunder Bay District “(1977),” Geology of the Gledhill Lake Area, Thunder Bay District “(1980),” Geology of the Conglomerate Lake Area , Thunder Bay District “(1980) and” Willet Lake, Thunder Bay District “(1979).

Amukun had been married to Daphne for 29 years, and was also survived by his daughter Nasheba and sons Settu and Mwenu.

Cited works

Green, Bob (AP). “Villanova is IC4A starter again; G-Burg enters fourth place.” Gettysburg Times, June 1, 1964: 5.