Fleeing war, chasing gold: Congo refugee Uwezo Lubenda is fastest 15-year-old in Queensland

Soldiers hunted his family as the bloodshed of the second Congo war reached its peak. Now Queensland’s fastest 15-year-old hopes to honour the nation that saved them by sprinting for Australia at the Olympics. Watch him in action here.

North Queensland sprint sensation Uwezo Lubenda was born on the run after soldiers hunted his family; now the 15-year-old hopes to honour the nation that saved their lives by running at the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.

Lubenda is the fastest sprinter for his age in Queensland after clinching both the state 100m and 200m crowns at last weekend’s track and field championships in Brisbane.

He became the first 15-year-old to break the 11-second barrier in North Queensland history when he posted a 100m time of 10.80 at the NQ championships one week earlier.

He will be at the peak of his sprinting powers as a 24-year-old when the Olympics arrive in Brisbane.

That dream was a destiny unimaginable to his parents had they had not been granted political asylum in Australia over a decade ago.

North Queensland sprint sensation Uwezo Lubenda, 15, on the red track at the Townsville Sports Reserve. Picture: Evan Morgan

The sprinter’s father Lubenda Bahekelwa was a medical worker in the eastern Congo province of Fizi during the Second Congo War of 1998-2003.

Near the height of violence in 2000, as UN peacekeepers tried in vain to stem the bloodshed, Bahekelwa became a target himself and fled the country with wife Mmbanga and their children.

“The war in my country, people were trying to kill each other. The politics in the Congo is why we left,” Uwezo’s father said.

North Queensland sprint sensation Uwezo Lubenda, 15, on the red track at the Townsville Sports Reserve. Picture: Evan Morgan

“All my family was in danger because I was a nurse assistant. Many people look for me to kill me, that is why we left.

“It is very good here. In the Congo it is terrible still because of the war. People are still killing people there for nothing. Here there is peace. It is very safe.

“It was very good (to come to Australia). We hope when he grows up he will do something for Australia.”

North Queensland sprint sensation Uwezo Lubenda, 15, up against Townsville Bulletin journalist Patrick Woods on the red track at the Townsville Sports Reserve. Picture: Evan Morgan

Lubenda’s hope is to race under an Australian flag at the 2032 Brisbane Games.

“That is my hope too,” his father said.

“His name is Uwezo, which means power in Swahili. His power is to run powerfully. Maybe he can be the best athlete in the world.”

The Lubendas escaped east to Tanzania, then to Mozambique, where Uwezo - the youngest of their seven children - was born in 2009; nearly 3000km from the family’s home in Baraka.

In 2013 the family were granted asylum to leave Africa and never looked back.

“Townsville feels like home now,” Uwezo, 15, said with an unmistakeable Aussie twang.

“I’m from the Congo, born in Mozambique and moved to Australia in 2013, so ever since then we’ve been settled down here. We moved from house to house but we’ve finally settled in.”

Uwezo’s father insists there is no great athletic pedigree in his family tree. His son’s gifts are “God-given,” but tirelessly honed with the support of his parents and siblings.

After the greatest week of his young sporting career Uwezo said he hoped he was taking the right steps to one day represent his adopted home on athletics’ grandest stage.

“My goal is 2032 Brisbane, I’ve got my eyes on that,” the youngster declared.

“I’ll be 23 or 24 so I’ll be in my prime as a sprinter. It’s inspiring me a lot to see that I’ve improved from the past. In the past I wasn’t the best but I’m starting to have more confidence as I’m improving more.

“Last year the races were close but this year I’m seeing a big difference. I’m waiting to improve more so I can be better next year.”

A disciplined strength regime in the gym and daily stretching has Lubenda hopeful of slicing a further 0.3 seconds off his personal best to topple Gout Gout’s 2022 under-16 state record of 10.57.

He hopes that will be in time for the national track and field championships in Perth in April.

“Next year I’m hoping to run 10.5 or lower,” he said.

“I have a coach, Gary Cairns (North Star Athletics Townsville), who’s been helping me a lot. The first thing I’ve got to do is take care of myself, do daily stretches, increase my endurance work and go to the gym so I can develop my muscles really good.”

Originally published as Fleeing war, chasing gold: Congo refugee Uwezo Lubenda is fastest 15-year-old in Queensland