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Uchenna Agu and Joyce Robinson Agu are a Married team and the Official Winners of The Amazing Race 7. They also competed on The Amazing Race: All-Stars.

Coming into the The Amazing Race 7 while going through a problematic period in their marriage, Uchenna & Joyce slowly rediscovered their love for each other during their time on the race. Joyce also notably agreed to have her head shaved so that they could win the Fast Forward in India. Though they aligned with Lynn & Alex and Meredith & Gretchen against the alliance of Rob & Amber and Ron & Kelly, they would lose their allies on the way to the final three. After suffering a flat tire on their way to the Pit Stop during the penultimate leg, they came in last and had all their money taken away from them, handicapping them throughout the final leg where they were forced to beg for money on several occasions. In addition, they also had to beg to be allowed on the same flight to Miami as Rob & Amber. However, they were able to decipher the final clue in Miami faster than Rob & Amber and, even after having to beg for money to pay their taxi just before the Finish Line, would go on to win the race.

Later returning in All-Stars after undergoing more problems in their marriage due to being unable to have a child, they nevertheless performed strongly yet again, including outlasting their old rivals Rob & Amber on their way to the final five. However, in a season notable for teams encountering flight problems, Uchenna & Joyce took the risk of taking a connecting flight to Malaysia with a short layover. When their flight landed 10 minutes late, they missed their flight to Malaysia, putting them hours behind the other teams, consigning them to a 5th place finish.

Profile[]

Retrieved from CBS.com

Uchenna & Joyce are a married Team from Houston, Texas, who are going through an extremely challenging period in their lives. Both worked for now-bankrupt companies that experienced highly publicized accounting scandals: Uchenna worked for Enron and Joyce worked for WorldCom. Uchenna and Joyce's primary motivation for participating in the Race is to regain some of the closeness they've lost during these trying times.

Uchenna grew up in Los Angeles and now works as an energy broker in Houston. Uchenna and his wife have been through some challenging financial and emotional times as of late. After several failed attempts to get pregnant, they tried in-vitro fertilization, but it was unsuccessful. Uchenna describes himself as competitive and extroverted, and he enjoys basketball, scuba diving and horseback riding.

Joyce was born in Mississippi and raised in San Diego, California. Following her own layoff from WorldCom, Joyce now works in sales in Houston. Joyce and Uchenna desperately want children, and their numerous failed attempts has caused tension within their relationship.

Both are adventurous and ready to compete. Both have hinted that if they won the Race they would use the prize money for additional in-vitro fertilization procedures.[1]

Uchenna and Joyce are one of the most beloved teams from any season of Race. The winners of Season 7, Uchenna and Joyce were relentless and stopped at nothing to win the $1 million prize… including shaving their heads. They have known each other for 16 years and have been married for seven. Both have admitted that the continued inability to start a family has caused a strain on their marriage, but are looking to the Race to get their relationship back on track. This thrill seeking duo will stop at nothing to win the Race as they proved in Season 7, when without hesitation, they shaved their heads for good luck after partaking in the "Fast Forward" task. A decision that moved these tough competitors to the front of the pack and no doubt granted them a stroke of luck for the rest of the Race. Uchenna describes himself as competitive, fair and charismatic, while Joyce claims to be caring, determined and sensitive. Will their competitive nature and luck be enough to propel them to another victory this time around?[2]

The Amazing Race 7[]

Race History[]

Uchenna & Joyce's Race History
Episode Leg Destination(s) Detour Choice
(underlined)
Roadblock
Performer
Placement Notes
1 1 United States → Peru Rope a Llama / Rope a Basket No Roadblock 8 of 11
2 2 Peru → Chile Shop / Schlep Joyce 4 of 10
3 3 Chile → Argentina Paddle / Pedal Uchenna 2 of 9
4 4 Argentina Shipwreck / Island Joyce 3 of 8
5 5 Argentina → South Africa Tunnels / Tribes Uchenna 6 of 7
6 South Africa → Botswana Food / Water Joyce 3 of 7
6 7 Botswana Carry It / Milk It Uchenna 3 of 6 [1]
8 8 Botswana → India Solid / Liquid Uchenna 3 of 5 [2][3]
9 Used Fast Forward 1 of 5
10 9 India → Turkey Columns / Kilos Uchenna 1 of 4
11 10 Turkey → United Kingdom Brains / Brawn Joyce 3 of 4
12 11 United Kingdom → Jamaica Raft It / Build It Joyce 3 of 3
12 Jamaica → Puerto Rico → United States Pony Up / Tee It Up Uchenna 1 of 3
Average 3.08
Legend:
     The team finished in first place
     The team finished in last place and was eliminated from the race
     The team finished in last place in a non-elimination leg
     The team that won The Amazing Race
     The team that crossed the Finish Line second
     The team that crossed the Finish Line third
The team used the Fast Forward pass
> The team used the Yield
< Recipient of the Yield

Notes:
1: Uchenna & Joyce initially arrived 3rd, but they did not complete the Roadblock correctly and were forced to finish it. This did not affect their placement.
2: Leg 8 was a double-length leg with two Detours and two Roadblocks shown over two episodes. The placement listed in the top row reflect the order teams arrived at the leg's halfway point.
3: The leg's Fast Forward was offered after the halfway point, and thus permitted Uchenna & Joyce to skip only the second set of challenges.

The Amazing Race: All-Stars[]

Race History[]

Uchenna & Joyce's Race History
Episode Leg Destination(s) Detour Choice
(underlined)
Roadblock
Performer
Placement Notes
1 1 United States → Ecuador Wrangle It / Recover It No Roadblock 7 of 11
2 2 Ecuador → Chile By Hand / By Machine Joyce 5 of 10
3 3 Chile Vertical Limit / River Wild Uchenna 2 of 9
4 4 Chile → Argentina Navigate It / Sign It Joyce 6 of 8
5 5 Argentina → Mozambique Pamper / Porter Uchenna 7 of 7
6 6 Mozambique → Tanzania Solve It / Schlep It Uchenna 3 of 7 [4]
7 7 Tanzania → Poland Perfect Pitch / Perfect Angle Joyce 3 of 6 [5]
8 8 Poland Used Fast Forward 1 of 6
9 9 Poland → Malaysia Artistic Expression / Cookie Confection Joyce 5 of 5 [6]
Average 4.33
Legend:
     The team finished in first place
     The team finished in last place and was eliminated from the race
     The team finished in last place in a non-elimination leg
     The team that won The Amazing Race
     The team that crossed the Finish Line second
     The team that crossed the Finish Line third
The team used the Fast Forward pass
> The team used the Yield
< Recipient of the Yield

Notes:
4: Uchenna & Joyce initially arrived 3rd, but were issued a 30-minute penalty for being "marked for elimination" and not arriving 1st. This did not affect their placement.
5: Leg 7 had an unaired Roadblock which Uchenna confirmed later that Joyce completed the task.[3]
6: Uchenna & Joyce missed a connecting flight early in Leg 9 and were not shown performing any of the tasks; they were shown proceeding from the Batu Caves Route Marker directly to the Pit Stop for elimination. However, in a post-race interview they confirmed that they completed Cookie Confection Detour, and that Joyce had performed the Roadblock prior to being eliminated.

Post-Race[]

  • During the premiere of The Amazing Race: All-Stars, it was revealed that the in vitro fertilisation (IVF) Uchenna & Joyce talked about getting after winning The Amazing Race 7 failed.
  • After their first race, Uchenna & Joyce founded a charitable children's organization in Houston, Texas. They hold "The Great Raise," a Houston-version of the Amazing Race, where teams compete around the Houston area to win money for the charities.[4]
  • In a May 2011 interview, Joyce revealed that she and Uchenna were divorced. However, they still remain good friends.[5]

Trivia[]

Franchise Records[]

  • Uchenna & Joyce are the first team to not use the Yield after it was introduced and ultimately win the race.
  • First team to be penalized for arriving last in the penultimate leg.
    • As a result, they are the first team not to receive any money on the last leg.
  • First team to suffer two different non-elimination penalties in a career.
  • First team to have the Marked for Elimination penalty applied and not be eliminated on that leg.
  • The only former winning team to win two Fast Forwards in a career.
    • Thus, the first former winning team eliminated during the Race (this would be followed by Shay & Shani).

US[]

  • Second African-American team to win the race, after Chip & Kim.
  • Only winners to return for a later season.

External links[]

Interviews[]

Season 7[]

  • Harry Smith on Early Show (05/10/2005): "Uchenna & Joyce Win Race"
    • Early Show (05/11/2005): "Uchenna and Joyce Beg No More"
  • Cynthia Wang at People.com (05/11/2005): "The Amazing Race's Uchenna and Joyce"
  • Mike McDaniel at Chron (05/12/2005): "Nice guys discuss finishing first on Amazing Race"
  • AP (05/12/2005): "Uchenna and Joyce Agu win Amazing Race"
  • Ethan Alter at TV Guide (05/13/2005): "Amazing Champs Beg To Differ"
  • BJ and Shannon at 96X (05/19/2005): "Uchenna & Joyce, Winners of The Amazing Race 7"
  • Tamar Alexia Fleishman at Bankrate.com (02/14/2006): "Break out of your rut, advise Amazing Race winners" 

All-Stars[]

  • Julie Chen on Early Show (04/09/2007): "Uchenna & Joyce Lose Race"
  • Christopher Rocchio at Reality TV World (04/09/2007): "Uchenna and Joyce Agu discuss their All-Stars experience"
  • Oscar Dahl at BuddyTV (04/09/2007): "Exclusive Interview: Uchenna and Joyce Agu, 7th Team Elminated From All-Stars"
  • Teeuwynn Woodruff on RealityNewsOnline (04/10/2007): "Everyone Should Live Life Boldly"
  • Eric Goldman at IGN.com (04/10/2007): "All-Stars Interview: Uchenna & Joyce"

Post-Show[]

Social Media Profiles[]


References[]

The Amazing Race 7 Teams
 Brian & Greg
Brothers
S7 BrianGreg
 Debbie & Bianca
Lifelong Friends
S7 DebbieBianca
 Lynn & Alex
Boyfriends
S7 LynnAlex
 Megan & Heidi
Roommates
S7 MeganHeidi
 Meredith & Gretchen
Married/Retired
S7 MeredithGretchen
 Ray & Deana
Dating On and Off
S7 RayDeana
 Rob & Amber
Engaged
S7 RobAmber
 Ron & Kelly
Former POW/Pageant Queen
S7 RonKelly
 Ryan & Chuck
Best Friends
S7 RyanChuck
 Susan & Patrick
Mother/Son
S7 SusanPatrick
 Uchenna & Joyce
Married
S7 UchennaJoyce
The Amazing Race: All-Stars (2007) Teams
S11 CharlaMirna
 David & Mary
Coalminer and Wife
S11 DavidMary
 Dustin & Kandice
Beauty Queens
S11 DustinKandice
S11 EricDanielle
 Joe & Bill
Life Partners
S11 JoeBill
 John Vito & Jill
Formerly Dating
S11 JohnVitoJill
 Kevin & Drew
Lifelong Friends
S11 KevinDrew
 Oswald & Danny
Best Friends
S11 OswaldDanny
 Rob & Amber
Newlyweds
S11 RobAmber
 Teri & Ian
Married Parents
S11 TeriIan
 Uchenna & Joyce
Married
S11 UchennaJoyce
The Amazing Race Winners
United States
(flagship)
 Rob & Brennan
Best Friends/Lawyers
S1 RobBrennan
 Chris & Alex
Lifelong Friends
S2 ChrisAlex
 Flo & Zach
Friends
S3 FloZach
S4 ReichenChip
 Chip & Kim
Married Parents
S5 ChipKim
 Freddy & Kendra
Engaged Models
S6 FreddyKendra
 Uchenna & Joyce
Married
S7 UchennaJoyce
 Linz Family
Siblings
S8 LinzFamily
 BJ & Tyler
Best Friends
S9 BJTyler
S10 TylerJames
S11 EricDanielle
 TK & Rachel
Newly Dating
S12 TKRachel
 Nick & Starr
Brother/Sister
S13 NickStarr
 Tammy & Victor
Siblings/Lawyers
S14 TammyVictor
S15 MeghanCheyne
 Dan & Jordan
Brothers
S16 DanJordan
 Nat & Kat
Doctors
S17 NatKat
 Kisha & Jen
Sisters
S18 KishaJen
 Ernie & Cindy
Engaged
S19 ErnieCindy
 Rachel & Dave
Army Wife & Combat Pilot
S20 RachelDave
 Josh & Brent
Goat Farmers
S21 JoshBrent
 Bates & Anthony
Hockey Brothers
S22 BatesAnthony
 Jason & Amy
Dating
S23 JasonAmy
 Dave & Connor
Father/Son
S24 DaveConnor
 Amy & Maya
Food Scientists
S25 AmyMaya
 Laura & Tyler
Blind Dating
S26 LauraTyler
 Kelsey & Joey
Dating News Anchors
S27 KelseyJoey
 Dana & Matt
Engaged
S28 DanaMatt
 Brooke & Scott
#TeamBrooke andScott
S29 BrookeScott
S30 CodyJessica
 Colin & Christie
Life Partners
S31 ColinChristie
 Will & James
Dating
S32 WillJames
 Kim & Penn
Internet Personalities
S33 KimPenn
 Derek & Claire
Reality Romance
S34 DerekClaire
 Greg & John
Brothers/Computer Scientists
S35 GregJohn
Asia
 Joe Jer & Zabrina
Co-Workers
ASS1 JoeJerZabrina
 Adrian & Collin
Gym Buddies
ASS2 AdrianCollin
 Vince & Sam
Best Buddies
ASS3 VinceSam
 Parul & Maggie
Beauty Queens
ASS5 ParulMaggie
Australia
AUS1 TylerNathan
 Daniel & Ryan
Intensive Care Nurses
AUS3 DanielRyan
 Tim & Rod
Newlyweds
AUS4 TimRod
 Heath & Toni
Memory Makers
AUS6 HeathToni
 Alli & Angie
Mother/Daughter
AUS7 AlliAngie
 Darren & Tristan
Uncle/Nephew
AUS7 DarrenTristan
 Emma & Hayley
Sisters
AUS7 EmmaHayley
Brazil
BRS1 PatríciaSane
Canada
 Tim & Tim
Father & Son
CAS1 TimTim
 Mickey & Pete
Best Friends
CAS2 MickeyPete
 Gino & Jesse
Brothers
CAS3 GinoJesse
CAS4 StephKristen
 Sam & Paul
Dating Couple
CAS5 SamPaul
 Courtney & Adam
Engaged First Responders
CAS6 CourtneyAdam
CAS7 AnthonyJames
 Catherine & Craig
Best Friends
CAS8 CatherineCraig
 Ty & Kat
Dating
CAS9 TyKat
China
CNS1 ZhongHanliangJackie
 Geng & Xin
Friends
CNS2 HanGengWuXin
CNS4 JiaJingwenXiuJiekai
China Rush
 Charlie & Rachel
Flirtatious Friends
CRS1 CharlieRachel
 Lily & Jan
Dating Couple
CRS2 LilyJan
France
 Anthony & Sonja
Cyber Friends
FRS1 AnthonySonja
Israel
 Shay & Guy
Business Partners
ILS1 ShayGuy
 Bar & Inna
Painter & Saleswoman
ILS2 BarInna
 Talia & Koby
Newlyweds
ILS3 TaliaKoby
 Shay & Shani
Friends
ILS4 ShayShani
 Amit & Raz
Father/Son
ILS5 AmitRaz
ILS6 EvelinTohar
 Tia & Fay
Models
ILS7 TiaFay
 Yael & Yosiel
Cousins
ILS8 YaelYosiel
Latin America
LAS1 TamaraMatías
LAS2 CarlosMauricio
LAS4 DanielCésar
 Giovanni & Juan Carlos
Brothers-in-Law
LAS6 GiovanniJuanCarlos
Norway
 Morten & Truls
Brothers
NOS1 MortenTruls
 Omar & Bilal
Brothers
NOS2 OmarBilal
The Philippines
 LJ & CJ
Celebrity Best Friends
PHS1 LJCJ
 Matt & Phoebe
Dating Couple
PHS2 MattPhoebe
Ukraine
 Valeria & Bohdana
Beauty Queens
UAS1 ValeriaBohdana
Vietnam
 Hương Giang & Criss
Singer/Athlete
VNS3 HươngGiangCriss
 Ngọc Anh & Nhật Anh
Diving Coaches
VNS4 NgọcAnhNhậtAnh
 Lincoln & Tiến Đạt
Hotel Manager/Rapper
VNS5 LincolnTiếnĐạt
LeHangHHenNie
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