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Eugene Omalla

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Eugene Omalla
Omalla at the Mount SAC Relays in 2024.
Personal information
NationalityDutch / Ugandan
Born (2000-10-05) 5 October 2000 (age 24)
Zoetermeer, Netherlands
Sport
SportAthletics
EventSprints
College teamKansas State Wildcats
Achievements and titles
Personal bests400m: 46.06 (Commerce, 2023)
Indoors
400 m: 45.18 AR (Lubbock , 2024)
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing the  Netherlands
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2024 Paris 4×400 m mixed

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 has represented the Netherlands. He won a gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in the mixed 4 x 400 metres relay.[1]

Early life

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He has a twin brother, Jaime Omalla, who also competes in athletics. They have an Ugandan father called Timothy Omalla and a Dutch mother Wilmer Omalla . 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

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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

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Information from his World Athletics profile unless otherwise noted.[1]

Personal best times for individual events
Event Time in sTooltip Seconds 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/Africa at the time.

Competition results

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Information from his World Athletics profile unless otherwise noted.[1]

Achievements in international competitions representing the  Netherlands
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 3:07.43 AR

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Eugene Omalla". World Athletics. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Sprinters Eugene and Jaime Omalla will now compete for the Netherlands". Runners World. 11 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  3. ^ "Sprint twins Omalla will join the Dutch athletics team". Nos.nl. 11 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  4. ^ "Sprint twins Omalla will join the Dutch athletics team". nhnieuws.nl. 11 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  5. ^ "Omalla twins will join the Dutch sprint team". Atletiek.nl. 11 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  6. ^ "African indoor record holder for 400 meters strengthens Dutch athletics team". nu.nl. 11 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  7. ^ "Multiple Wildcats qualify for NCAA indoor championships". The Mercury. 1 March 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  8. ^ "NCAA Division I Indoor Championships". World Athletics. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  9. ^ "Men's 4x400 Metres Relay Short Track". World Athletics. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  10. ^ 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.
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