The Boy Who Runs: The Odyssey of Julius Achon

A book by John Brant

245 pages, published by Ballantine Books

Julius Achon, 12, in strife-torn Uganda, is kidnapped with 14 others by a rebel band He escapes. He self-coaches to a full scholarship in the best prep school. At 17, he is the best Ugandan distance runner, winning world junior titles. On a scholarship at George Mason University, he sets an NCAA record. He competes for Uganda at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics. With his Ugandan family in dire circumstances, he is signed as an assistant coach (pacer for prep prince Galen Rupp) with Salazar and the Nike Oregon Project at a non princely $1500 per month and hence obliged to work an extra four hours daily at the Nike employee store… What a story!!! Brant is one of our best on track, oddly all his books with Salazar being a key character.