Muzala Samukonga (born 9 December 2002) is a Zambian track and field sprinter who specialises in the 400 metres. In 2022, at the age of 19, he won gold medals at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and African Championships. A flagbearer for Zambia at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Samukonga won the bronze medal in the 400 metres event.
Biography Samukonga competed in the 400 metres at the 2021 World Under-20 Championships in Kenya, where he finished in fifth place after with a time of 45.89 s.
In March 2022, he recorded a new personal best in the event of 45.65 s in Botswana. On 10 June, Samukonga won the gold medal in the 400 m at the 2022 African Championships in Mauritius, upsetting Bayapo Ndori in the final with a time of 45.31 s. His victory ended a ten-year reign of athletes from Botswana in the event, namely Isaac Makwala and Baboloki Thebe. It also qualified him for the 2022 World Athletics Championships the following month in Eugene, Oregon.
In September 2024, it was announced that he had signed up for the inaugural season of the Michael Johnson founded Grand Slam Track.
On 23 May 2026, Samukonga had a second place finish in 44.04 seconds at the 2026 Xiamen Diamond League. On 14 July, he won the 400 m at the István Gyulai Memorial, in Budapest, in 44.02 seconds. In July, he placed sixth in the final of the 400 metres at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
Achievements All information taken from World Athletics profile.
Personal bests Event Time (m:)s Wind (m/s) Place Date Notes 200 metres 20.23 +1.7 Miramar, United States 2 May 2025 400 metres 43.74 Paris, France 7 August 2024 4 × 400 m relay 3:04.76 Birmingham, United Kingdom 7 August 2022
Circuit performances
International championships results 2021World U20 ChampionshipsNairobi, Kenya5th400 m45.89 2022African ChampionshipsSaint Pierre, Mauritius1st400 m45.312nd4 × 400 m relay3:05.53World ChampionshipsEugene, OR, United States9th (sf)400 m45.02 Commonwealth GamesBirmingham, United Kingdom1st400 m44.66 5th4 × 400 m relay3:04.76 2024African GamesAccra, Ghana2nd400 m45.371st4 × 400 m relay2:59.12African ChampionshipsDouala, Cameroon3rd4 × 400 m relay3:02.56Olympic GamesParis, France3rd400 m43.748th4 × 400 m relay3:02.762025World ChampionshipsTokyo, Japan9th (sf)400 m44.60 –4 × 400 m relayDQ2026Commonwealth GamesGlasgow, United Kingdom6th400 m45.61World Ultimate ChampionshipBudapest, Hungary14th (h)400 m45.51
In addition, as of August 2024, Samukonga holds the track record for Gaborone where he clocked 43.91 seconds in April 2023.
References
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