Docas Ajok has become a poster girl for Uganda’s University Sports after a successful Commonwealth Games in Australia where she ran in the finals of the 800m alongside spectacular Caster Semanya. She finished sixth with the time of 2:01:22.
Impressive can easily describe the continuous rise of the 23-year old athlete from Ndejje University in Uganda. She is a former gold medalist in the 1500m recording a personal best time of 4:18.53 at the 2015 Universiade in Gwangju and Silver and bronze medalist in 1500m and 800m, respectively, at the Taipei 2017 Summer Universiade.
A constant figure for both her school and nation in Athletics since she was 18, it is not surprising that the Association of Uganda University Sports views Ajok as a pace setter and one the rest of the student body should look up to, for both her academic commitment and athletics excellence. However, despite her relentless success in recent months, a good number of observers continue to cast doubt on her gender. Born 23 years ago in Akura Sub-county, Alebtong district of Uganda as the second of nine children born to Dicken Atworo and Margaret Akello Ajok. As the child of a teacher, athletics was not Ms. Ajok’s first choice at a career. This, coupled with a broken leg from an accident in 2007, would have one expecting the young girl to quit, but she persevered and in 2010 made a remarkable come back. She has not looked back since.
On the persistent questions on her gender ” Mostly when I started running, people would comment,” Ajok said, “But I feel normal…it (the comments) has been happening, but I’m used to it now.” Much like Caster Semanya, she is a female with a high level of testosterone in her system. And like the aforementioned Athletics athlete, she suffers the same speculative opinions and stares.
Docas Ajok is expected to fly the flag of Uganda’s University Sports at the upcoming African University games. She is a pride to both her school and her nation, she is on the way of making a name for herself.
