History as Uganda’s Ian Muyimba bags third-place medal at world English-speaking competition

• Muyimba represented Uganda as the country’s only delegate.

• He advanced from a field of 66 countries to the six-person grand final.

• Muyimba said his bronze medal marked the first top-three finish by an African country in the competition’s history.

Uganda’s Ian Karlton Muyimba has made history after finishing third at the 2026 International Public Speaking Competition in London, United Kingdom.

Muyimba secured the bronze medal during the grand final held at the Royal Institution on July 17, 2026.

Omar Hazari of Sri Lanka won the competition, while Romania’s Theodora Todoran finished second. Australia’s Olivia Wright, Bermuda’s Jordan Albert Williams and Serbia’s Konstantin Svilokos were the other finalists. 

The 18-year-old returned to Uganda through Entebbe International Airport, where he described the achievement as a milestone for Uganda and Africa.

“This year, I was blessed to be the only delegate representing Uganda, where every English-speaking country sends one delegate,” he said.

“I was blessed to reach the finals representing my country Uganda and my continent Africa. In the finals, I won the medal for third place and was recognised as the third-best public speaker in the world.”

Competition organisers said the 2026 edition attracted national champions from 45 countries and regions after more than 100,000 young people took part in preliminary contests worldwide. Contestants delivered speeches based on the theme, “Lighting One Candle,” inspired by a haiku by Japanese poet Yosa Buson. 

The finalists were judged on their speaking ability, originality, critical thinking and delivery before an international panel.

Besides the competition, participants attended communication workshops and joined cultural and educational activities in London. These included visits to Tate Modern and London County Hall. 

Muyimba said his third-place finish was the first time an African representative had entered the competition’s top three.

“From 1918 up to 2026, no African nation has ever made it to the top three positions,” he said.

“I was happy to hold the flag for Uganda so high and tell the story of the Pearl of Africa.”

The English-Speaking Union was founded in 1918, while its historical records show that the International Public Speaking Competition began in 1968 with contestants from Australia, England and Wales. The competition later expanded to dozens of countries. 

The union was founded by Sir Evelyn Wrench after the First World War to promote better communication, dialogue and understanding among people from different countries and cultures. It now trains young people in speaking, listening, critical thinking and self-expression. 

Muyimba said the London appearance allowed him to introduce international audiences to Uganda while opening the door for other young African speakers.

“I believe that I’ve held the pen and I’ve been given the paper, and I’ve written the first sentence about the next story of my country, and that sentence began in London,” he said after the competition.