Kriss Akabusi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kriss Akabusi
MBE

Akabusi at Hyde Park, 2012
Personal information
Full name	Kezie Uchechukwu Duru Akabusi
Nationality	British
Born	(1958-11-28) 28 November 1958 (age 66) Paddington, London, England
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	81 kg (179 lb)
Sport
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	Sprinting, hurdling
Medal record Men's athletics Representing  Great Britain Olympic Games Silver 1984 Los Angeles 4x400 m relay Bronze 1992 Barcelona 400 m hurdles Bronze 1992 Barcelona 4x400 m relay World Championships Gold 1991 Tokyo 4x400 m relay Silver 1987 Rome 4x400 m relay Bronze 1991 Tokyo 400 m hurdles European Championships Gold 1986 Stuttgart 4x400 m relay Gold 1990 Split 400 m hurdles Gold 1990 Split 4x400 m relay Representing  England Commonwealth Games Gold 1990 Auckland 400 m hurdles

Kriss Akabusi is a famous British athlete and TV presenter. His full name is Kezie Uchechukwu Duru Akabusi. He was born on November 28, 1958. Kriss is well-known for his amazing achievements in track and field sports, especially in sprinting and hurdling.

He won many medals for Great Britain. These include a silver medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics and gold medals at the 1986 Commonwealth Games and 1986 European Athletics Championships. He was also part of the 4x400 metres relay team. Later in his career, he became a top 400 metres hurdles runner.

Kriss Akabusi set a British record in the 400 metres hurdles in 1990. He won a gold medal at the 1990 European Athletics Championships with a time of 47.93 seconds. He also won gold at the 1990 Commonwealth Games. In 1991, he won a bronze medal at the 1991 World Championships in Athletics. He also helped the British team win a gold medal in the 4x400 metres relay.

At the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, he won two bronze medals. One was for the 400 metres hurdles, where he set another British record of 47.82 seconds. The other was with the 4x400 metres relay team. After he stopped competing, Kriss became a popular television presenter and a motivational speaker.

Early Life and Name Change

Kriss Akabusi was born in Paddington, London. His parents were from Nigeria and were studying in London. When he was four years old, his parents went back to Nigeria. Kriss and his brother, Riba, were then raised in foster care.

Because of the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970), Kriss could not stay in touch with his parents. He later met his mother again when he was a teenager. She wanted him to live in Nigeria, but Kriss decided to stay in the United Kingdom. He visited Nigeria when he was 21. Kriss went to Edmonton County School.

During this time, Kriss changed his first name from 'Kezie' to 'Kriss'. He explained in 2002 that he wanted a fresh start. He kept the 'K' to connect with his past, while 'Kriss' represented his future.

Military Career

In 1975, Kriss Akabusi joined the British Army. He first served in the Royal Corps of Signals. In 1981, he moved to the Royal Army Physical Training Corps. This is where his talent for sports was discovered.

When he left the army in 1990, he was a Warrant Officer Class 2. His time in the military helped him develop his athletic skills.

Athletics Career Highlights

Kriss Akabusi started his athletics career in 1983. He first focused on the 400 metres race. In 1987, he switched to the 400 metres hurdles.

• 1984 Olympic Games: As part of the British 4x400 metres relay team, Kriss won a silver medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
• 1990 European and Commonwealth Games: Kriss broke a long-standing British record in the 400 metres hurdles. He won a gold medal at the European Championships with a time of 47.93 seconds. He also won the 400 metres hurdles gold medal at the 1990 Commonwealth Games.
• 1991 World Championships: At the World Championships in Tokyo, Kriss won a bronze medal in the 400 metres hurdles. He also won a gold medal with the 4x400 metres relay team. He ran the final part of the race and helped Britain win against the American team. They set a new British record of 2:57.53.
• 1992 Olympic Games: At the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Kriss won a bronze medal in the 400 metres hurdles. He lowered his British record to 47.82 seconds, which is still the record today. He also won another bronze medal with the 4x400 metres relay team.

Television Work

After retiring from sports, Kriss Akabusi became a well-known television presenter.

• He worked on shows like Record Breakers and The Big Breakfast.
• He often appeared on quiz shows such as A Question of Sport and They Think It's All Over.
• In 1997, he had a small role as a milkman in the TV show Last of the Summer Wine.
• He has also appeared on Come Dine with Me, The Big Fat Quiz of The 80's, and A League of Their Own.
• In 2017, Kriss became a commentator for Bigheads on ITV. He also appeared on Big Star's Little Star with his son, Alanam.
• Since 2018, he has been in adverts for Ladbrokes online betting.
• He also reviews newspapers on GB News.

Honours and Recognition

In 1991, Kriss Akabusi was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II. This was to recognize his great contributions to the country through athletics. In 1992, he received an honorary degree from the University of Southampton.

Political Views (Simplified)

Kriss Akabusi has shared his thoughts on politics over the years. In 1998, he mentioned voting for the Conservative Party. In 2011, he supported a change in how people vote in the UK. In 2014, he was one of many public figures who signed a letter hoping that Scotland would remain part of the United Kingdom. In 2016, he stated on social media that he supported and voted for Brexit.