Eugene Omalla was a vital part of the Netherlands mixed 4×400 meter relay team that won Gold at the Paris Olympics just a couple weeks ago. 

“You almost don’t believe it. For a few seconds I didn’t even fully understand what had just happened. It kind of clicked once we had the [Netherlands] flags around us celebrating. I can’t even describe the feeling. I’m an Olympic gold medalist. I was without words, I was just so happy,” Omalla said. 

The former Southeastern athlete kick-started a historic afternoon for the Dutch, running a 45.26 in the first leg to set his nation up for a memorable moment in Holland’s history. 

“The first leg is always the most pressure because you’re getting out of blocks and being introduced. I didn’t look at the crowd until I got into my blocks. I can’t even explain how that felt. 80,000 people cheering and screaming. I felt good. Pressure can either create diamonds or make you crack. I feel like it created a diamond in that moment,” Omalla explained. 

Omalla was followed by Lieke Klaver, Isaya Klein Ikkink and Femke Bol, who closed the race at a blazing 48.00, passing the USA’s Kaylyn Brown near the end of the finish line. 

“She’s such a talent, once in a lifetime honestly. At about 250 meters I knew she was going to win us gold. It was amazing,” Omalla said of his teammate Bol.

The Netherlands finished the competition with a European record of 3:07.43 in the second Olympics edition of the mixed 4×400, which was first introduced in the 2020 Tokyo games. 

Eugene and his twin brother Jaimie were born in Zoetermeer, Netherlands, where they resided for the first seven years of their lives. 

Their father Timothy Omalla is of Ugandan descent and moved his family to his homeland, where he and his wife Wilmer did orphanage work aiding needy children. 

Two years later, Eugene and Jaimie moved to Rift Valley Academy, a boarding school in Kenya, where the duo participated in numerous sports.

Eugene mainly played soccer and rugby but because of the difficulty getting scholarships in those sports, Omalla decided to run track under his dad’s guidance. 

After running for just over a year, he won the 2018 Kenya U20 Championships in the 100m dash, garnering interest from Division II school McKendree University out of Lebanon, Illinois, in the United States. 

Omalla was a natural and quickly caught on with the Bearcats track team, competing from 2020-21. 

The siblings each began their collegiate careers at McKendree (2020-21), where they competed for Agne Eggerth, who is a former Olympian athlete herself and renowned coach from Lithuania. 

Following success there, Omalla and his brother both transferred to Southeastern, where they would stay for two seasons (2022-23) after being recruited by former Lions coach Corey Mistretta.

“Southeastern was a place where we grew not just as athletes but as people. We made a lot of great friends and created long lasting relationships,” Omalla said.

However, current SLU long sprints coach Damion Jeanpiere is who perhaps had the biggest impact on Omalla during his time in Hammond. 

“There was a point during my first year where I wasn’t running the times or reaching the heights I expected. My second year was when I’d say my athletic life transformed under Coach Damion [Jeanpiere]. He really believed in me and was one of the first people to help me believe in myself,” E. Omalla said.

He added, “That helped me on the mental side of things and in becoming an elite athlete.” 

He shined at the 2023 Southland Conference Championships, winning first place in the individual 400 meter final with a time of 46.79 seconds.

Omalla also teamed up with his brother, Omri Shiff and Agerian Jackson to collect another gold in the 4×400 meter men’s relay, as the quartet finished at 3:12.06.

The Omalla twins ultimately transferred again, this time to Kansas State, to compete at a Power Four program.

“We always say if we didn’t have each other we wouldn’t be where we are today. We are competitive with each other and push one another, but also encourage and hold each other up when we’re down. On so many levels it’s been the biggest blessing in my track career to have my brother by my side,” E. Omalla said.

Eugene ran for the Wildcats this past season in the Spring of 2024, medaling twice at the Big 12 Championships and was a part of K-State’s 4×400 relay team that set an outdoor school record time (3:03.15) at the NCAA West Preliminary, finishing fifth. 

Despite becoming a global star, Omalla’s path to greatness seemed rather unlikely in the weeks leading up to the Olympics. 

He tried to represent Uganda for four years, but was never given an opportunity despite being their fastest 400 meter runner. 

However, the Netherlands coaching staff immediately expressed interest in him with Omalla citing the decision to join the Dutch national team as a “no brainer.”

Two weeks before the Olympics opening ceremony, Omalla found himself as the fourth listed runner on the team sheet for the 4×400 meter mixed relay. 

With two men and women picked for the four person race, Omalla was behind a pair of other male Dutch runners, but never gave up hope.

“I had it in my head that I was going to be on that team. I just worked really hard and dedicated everything to God. I was patient and really proved myself to the coaches in training,” Omalla said.

He was picked roughly three to four days before the Olympics began in a process in which he called “nerve-wracking”.

Omalla had made the final team selection and referred to his faith as his ultimate calling card.

“My faith and my belief in God is No. 1. It’s what holds me strong. Going into the Olympics there was a lot of uncertainty if I was even going to be able to run. I really had to lean in to God and trust in him,” Omalla said. 

He added, “My faith is not only the most important thing in my track career, but in my life.”

Omalla is attempting to become a professional runner now. 

He has three more races lined up to close out his season, including the Fribourg Track Lab meet in Switzerland (Sept. 1), the Palio Citta della Quercia in Italy (Sept. 3) and the Gala dei Castelli, also in Switzerland (Sept. 9).

“I always say ‘just make history,’ so that’s what I’m trying to do,” Omalla concluded.