Paulo Amotun Lokoro

Paulo Amotun

Amotun at the 2016 Olympics
Personal information
Full name	Paulo Amotun Lokoro
Born	(1992-01-01) 1 January 1992 (age 33) South Sudan
Height	170 cm (5 ft 7 in) [1]
Weight	61 kg (134 lb)
Sport
Country	South Sudan
Sport	Athletics
Event	1,500 m
Club	Tegla Loroupe Foundation [2]
Coached by	Tegla Loroupe [2]
Achievements and titles
Personal best	3:44.10 (2019) [3]
Updated on 11 June 2016

Paulo Amotun Lokoro (born 1 January 1992) is a South Sudanese track and field athlete now living in Kenya. He specialises in the 1,500 metres event. Lokoro was selected as one of the ten members of the Refugee Olympic Team (ROT) for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and one of the 29 ROT members at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

Originally a cattle farmer in southern Sudan, he fled his home to Kenya in 2006 to escape war.

Early life

Amotun Lokoro was born on 1 January 1992 in Southern Sudan, an area which was to become South Sudan upon independence. He was originally a cattle farmer before he fled war in South Sudan in 2006 to join his parents who had already fled to the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. ^[2] Although South Sudan was relatively peaceful in 2006 following the end of the Second Sudanese Civil War and the South Sudanese wars of independence, there were still clashes including the Battle of Malakal. ^[4]

Career

Amotun Lokoro was selected as part of the Refugee Olympic Team for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. ^[5] He was entered in the men's 1,500 m and took part in the heats on 16 August 2016. He finished 11th in heat two in a time of four minutes 3.96 seconds and did not advance to the semi-finals. ^[6]

He was again selected as part of the Refugee Olympic Team for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. He was entered in the men's 1,500 m and took part in the heats on 3 August 2021. He finished 13th in heat three in a time of three minutes 51.78 seconds and did not advance to the semi-finals. ^[7]

Competitions

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
Representing Refugee Athletes [3]
2016	Olympic Games	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	11th (h)	1500 m	4:03.96
2017	World Relays	Nassau, Bahamas	7th	4 x 800 m	8:12.57
	Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games	Ashgabat, Turkmenistan	Finalist	1500 m	DNS
2018	World Half Marathon Championships	Valencia, Spain	124th	Half Marathon	1:09:31
	African Championships	Asaba, Nigeria	15th	1500 m	4:03.44
2019	World Championships	Doha, Qatar	42nd (h)	1500 m	3:48.98
2021	Olympic Games	Tokyo, Japan	43rd (h)	1500 m	3:51.78

References

1. "Paulo Amotun". Rio 2016. Archived from the original on 22 September 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
2. "AMOTUN Paulo". NBC. Archived from the original on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
3. Paulo Amotun Lokoro at World Athletics
4. "South Sudan clashes between army and militia kill 57". BBC. 24 April 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
5. "Refugee Olympic Team" (PDF). International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
6. "2016 Summer Olympics, 1,500 metres, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
7. "2020 Summer Olympics, 1,500 metres, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 13 July 2025.