Eugene Omalla
 Eugene Omalla at the Mt. SAC Relays 2024. | |||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationality | Dutch / Ugandan | ||||||||||||||
| Born | 5 October 2000 | ||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | ||||||||||||||
| Event | Sprints | ||||||||||||||
| College team | Kansas State Wildcats | ||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||||
| Personal bests | 400m: 46.06 (Commerce, 2023) Indoors 400 m: 45.18 AR (Lubbock , 2024) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Eugene Omalla (born 5 October 2000) is a Ugandan-Dutch sprinter, who specializes in the 400 metres. He holds the African indoor record over 400 metres. From April 2024, he represents the Netherlands.[1]
Early life
He has a twin brother, Jaime Omalla, who also competes in athletics. They have an Ugandan father and a Dutch mother. They were born in Zoetermeer and lived in the Netherlands until they were seven years-old when they moved to Uganda. They both study at the Kansas State University in the United States. From 2024, they both run under the Netherlands flag, having both previously represented Uganda.[2]
Career
He ran an outdoors personal best of 46.06 seconds for the 400 metres in May 2023.[3] [4] He ran 45.18 seconds indoors to set a new African continental record for the 400 metres at the Sports Performance Center in Lubbock.[5][6]
He qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships in Boston, Massachusetts, to run in the 400 metres and the 4x400m relay, in a team that included his twin brother.[7] He ran a time of 46.37 seconds in the individual event.[8] They finished third in the relay final to win the bronze medal alongside Tavon Underwood and Kyle Gayle.[9]
He ran for the Netherlands for the first time at the 2024 World Relays Championships in Nassau, Bahamas.[10]
Personal bests
Information from his World Athletics profile unless otherwise noted.[1]
| Event | Time in s | Location | Date | Record | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200 metres | 20.64 | 14 July 2024 | La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland | (Wind: +0.7 m/s) | |
| 300 metres | 32.68 | 28 April 2024 | Willemstad, Curaçao | ||
| 400 metres | 45.18 i | 23 February 2024 | Lubbock, Texas, United States | ||
| 400 metres short track | 45.18 i | 23 February 2024 | Lubbock, Texas, United States | AR | Omalla was representing Uganda at the time. |
Competition results
Information from his World Athletics profile unless otherwise noted.[1]
| Year | Competition | Location | Position | Event | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | World Athletics Relays | Nassau, Bahamas | 12th | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:03.02 | (45.69 split) |
| Summer Olympics | Paris, France | 1st | 4 × 400 m mixed | (qualified for final) |
References
- ^ a b c "Eugene Omalla". World Athletics. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ "Sprinters Eugene and Jaime Omalla will now compete for the Netherlands". Runners World. 11 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ "Sprint twins Omalla will join the Dutch athletics team". Nos.nl. 11 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ "Sprint twins Omalla will join the Dutch athletics team". nhnieuws.nl. April 11, 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ "Omalla twins will join the Dutch sprint team". Atletiek.nl. 11 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ "African indoor record holder for 400 meters strengthens Dutch athletics team". nu.nl. April 11, 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ "Multiple Wildcats qualify for NCAA indoor championships". The Mercury. 1 March 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ "NCAA Division I Indoor Championships". World Athletics. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ "Men's 4x400 Metres Relay Short Track". World Athletics. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ van Driel, Mark (6 May 2024). "Why sprint twins Omalla competes for the Netherlands: 'You have to choose what helps you most forward'". Retrieved 12 May 2024.
- 2000 births
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2024 Summer Olympics
- Dutch expatriate sportspeople in the United States
- Dutch male sprinters
- Dutch people of Ugandan descent
- Kansas State Wildcats men's track and field athletes
- Living people
- Olympic athletes for the Netherlands
- People from Zoetermeer
- Ugandan expatriate sportspeople in the Netherlands
- Ugandan expatriate sportspeople in the United States
- Ugandan male sprinters
- Ugandan people of Dutch descent