Kriss Akabusi

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Medal record
Kriss Akabusi
Men's Athletics
Competitor for  United Kingdom
Olympic Games
Silver	1984 Los Angeles	4x400 m relay
Bronze	1992 Barcelona	400 m hurdles
Bronze	1992 Barcelona	4x400m relay
World Championships
Gold	1991 Tokyo	4x400 m relay
Silver	1987 Rome	4x400 m relay
Bronze	1991 Tokyo	400 m hurdles
European Championships
Gold	1990 Split	400 m hurdles
Gold	1990 Split	4x400 m relay
Commonwealth Games
Gold	1990 Auckland	400 m hurdles

Kriss Kezie Uche Chukwu Duru Akabusi MBE (born 28 November 1958 in London, England) is a former athlete who went on to become a television presenter and motivational speaker.

Before his career as an athlete Akabusi joined the British Army in 1975 and had a successful career in the Royal Corps of Signals before switching to the Army Physical Training Corps in 1981. When he was discharged into the reserves at the end of his army career he held the rank of Warrant Officer Class 2.

In 1983 Akabusi embarked upon his athletics career as 400M hurdler and member of the 4x400M relay team, enjoying a successful time and winning three medals at the Summer Olympics and three World Championship medals, amongst others. In 1990 he broke David Hemery's longstanding British record on his way to a Gold medal for the 400M hurdles at the European Championships.

Akabusi has presented the television shows Record Breakers and The Big Breakfast, and has regularly appeared as a panelist on many quiz shows such as A Question of Sport, They Think It's All Over and Through the Keyhole. Through these appearances he became well known for having an over-the-top laugh. He appeared as a milkman in the 1997 Last Of The Summer Wine episode "There Goes The Groom".

In 1992, along with fellow relay team member Roger Black, Akabusi was awarded an Honorary degree from the University of Southampton. Also that year he was awarded the MBE by Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of his services to the country through athletics.

During his appearance on BBC1 Breakfast on 19 January 2009 Kriss made the extraordinary revelation that aged about 5 he and his brother were forced to drink urine as punishment for an episode of bedwetting by their foster parents at that time. - [1]

[edit] Achievements

• 1984
  • Summer Olympics - Los Angeles, United States.
    • 4 x 400 m. relay silver medal
• 1985
  • won rear of the year 1985, Akabusi fought off 23 other contestants to bring home this prestigious title.
• 1987
  • World Championships - Rome, Italy.
    • 4 x 400 m. relay silver medal
• 1989
  • IAAF World Cup - Barcelona, Spain.
    • 400 m. hurdles bronze medal
  • European Cup - Gateshead, England.
    • 400 m. hurdles gold medal
• 1990
  • Commonwealth Games - Auckland, New Zealand.
    • 400 m. hurdles gold medal
  • European Championships- Split, Yugoslavia.
    • 400 m. hurdles gold medal
• 1991
  • World Championships - Tokyo, Japan.
    • 400 m. hurdles lust bronze medal
    • 4 x 400 m. relay gold medal
  • European Cup - Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
    • 400 m. hurdles gold medal
• 1992
  • Summer Olympics - Barcelona, Spain.
    • 400 m. hurdles bronze medal
    • 4 x 400 m. relay bronze medal
• 2009
  • JJB Sports, Letchworth, Re-opening (with Roger Black)

[edit] References

• [2] IMDB Profile. accessed 10 July 2008.
• [3] Guardian interview from 12 August 2008.

v • d • e Commonwealth Champions in Men's 400 m Hurdles 1930 – 1966: 440 yards Hurdles  •  1970 – 2006: 400 metres Hurdles  1930: Lord Burghley (ENG) •  1934: Alan Hunter (SCO) •  1938: John Loaring (CAN) •  1950: Duncan White (CEY) •  1954: David Lean (AUS) •  1958: Gert Potgieter (SAF) •  1962: Ken Roche (AUS) •  1966: Ken Roche (AUS) •  1970: John Sherwood (ENG) •  1974: Alan Pascoe (ENG) •  1978: Daniel Kimaiyo (KEN) •  1982: Garry Brown (AUS) •  1986: Phil Beattie (NIR) •  1990: Kriss Akabusi (ENG) •  1994: Samuel Matete (ZAM) •  1998: Dinsdale Morgan (JAM) •  2002: Chris Rawlinson (ENG) •  2006: L. J. van Zyl (RSA)