Mr. Canova: Information on Dorcus Inzikuru

Dorcus was with me from June 1999, when I was the IAAF responsible in Eldoret of a stage for official Youths from African Countries, and 19 different Countries sent to the IOC Training Camp of Kipchoge Keino 2 boys, 2 girls and 2 coaches. That time, Ugandan Federation sent, about girls, Dorcus and Happy-Mary Bacia, a young runner for 400/800m that in 2001 quitted her training, but no coaches. So, Dorcus and the guys (Martin Toroitich, elder brother of Boniface Kiprop, and Paul Waku) asked me to prepare programs for the group and to follow them directly.

Dorcus, after being without any discussion the no. 1 of steeple in 2005, when won all the competitions, including World Championships, started to have some problem during the next Winter. In the winter 2004/2005, she had a surgery for widening her nasal cavities, in order to breath better. The surgery was done in Nairobi, using an old system, including the total removal of the nasal mucosa. So, in the short term Dorcus started to breath very much better, having advantages (in 2005) in her training and, of course, in her competitions. But, from January 2006, she started sometimes to have very strange collapses, and to be particularly disturbed (more than in the past) from dust, smell of boiled milk, peels of animal and many other things. We thought about some kind of allergy, but the situation didn't improve, with specific therapies in that direction. Only after several attempts a dr. working in South Africa decided to have an investigation regarding bacteria, and discovered Dorcus had a lot of families of bacteria in her body, because she didn't have any filter while breathing, and this reduced a lot the ability of her immune system.

For that reason, she decided to have a baby in 2007, before coming back after a long period of therapies.

The current situation is better, also if not as in 2005. For example, 3 hours before a competition, Dorcus has to stay for about 1 hour with her head downward, with her nose full of special water for cleaning the channel.

Since time is running, Dorcus now started to study again, going to University. For that reason, she remains long time in Uganda, and only when free comes to train in Iten like in the past, or in Italy (she still has her Italian Club and has to compete in Italian Club Championships).

However, also if the situation is complicated, Dorcus has still a lot of motivation, and I think can come back to an international level, also if can be a dream to repeat the results of the past.

Mr. Canova:

Thanks for your answer. Hopefully things will go smoothly for Dorcus. Are you still preparing her training? If so, in what way is it going?

Thanks again!

CD