ZOC take a bow for Chimusasa
IT’S an Olympic year and the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee recently paid tribute to one of the finest athletes who raised the Zimbabwean flag with distinction at the Summer Olympic Games — Tendai Chimusasa.
Apart from swimming icon Kirsty Coventry, Chimusasa is the only other Zimbabwean athlete who just relished the opportunity of representing Zimbabwe at the Olympic Games and his exploits in track and road running events made him one of the best Olympians to emerge from this country since Zimbabwe were allowed back into the International Olympic Committee family soon after the attainment of Independence in April 1980.
He was always the Knight in shining armour.
In paying tribute to Chimusasa last week, the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee said: “Today’s Zimbabwe Olympic Flash-back features the incredible Tendai Chimusasa, a retired Zimbabwean long-distance runner. He proudly carried the flag for Zimbabwe at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia (United States). Let’s celebrate his remarkable achievements, including victories at the Lisbon Half Marathon in 1992, as well as the Berlin Half Marathon in 1994 and 1997.’’
Chimusasa (53), a dominant force in the local middle and long-distance running scene in the 90s, was also a cross-country runner and won the Eurocross meeting in Luxembourg in 1994 and 1996.
Without a shadow of a doubt, Chimusasa is one of the best middle and long-distance runners to emerge from this country since Independence.
Chimusasa also made a name for himself on the international road running circuit where he won several half-marathon and marathon events in the 1990s and has firmly taken his place among the local road running legends and icons such as Tapfumaneyi “Tap Tap’’ Jonga, the late Stanley “Super Stan” Mandebele, Benard Dzoma and Kennias Tembo.
But who were the best middle and long-distance athletes in Zimbabwe in the pre and post-Independence era? Zimpapers Sport posed this question to veteran athletics coach and sports administrator Robert Mutsauki.
“It is difficult to compare the performances of middle and long-distance runners,” Mutsauki said.
“Great post-Independence middle-distance runners would include the likes of Tapfumaneyi Jonga, Muzanenhamo Gwanzura, Philemon Hanneck, Passmore Furusa, Melford Homela, Savieri Nghidhi and female athlete Julia Sakala.
“Great post-Independence long-distance runners would include the likes of the late Zephaniah Ncube, Stanley Mandebele (late), Try Chinhoyi (late), Esau Magwaza, Philemon Hanneck, Nicholas Nyengerayi, Abel Chimukoko, Tendai Chimusasa, Cuthbert Nyasango and lately Isaac Mpofu.”
Mutsauki believes Chimusasa was the greatest half-marathon runner from Zimbabwe in terms of consistency.
“I believe that Chimusasa was the greatest half-marathon runner from Zimbabwe in terms of consistently posting impressive performances over that distance in the 90s and he capped his success with an IAAF world half-marathon championships bronze medal in 1996.
“If I am not mistaken, he also held a world-best time over the 25km road race. When one takes into account his performances in various marathon races, including at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, as well as his performances in track races yielding a bronze at the 1994 Commonwealth Games, one could argue that as things stand today, he would probably have an edge over the likes of Hanneck, Nyasango, and Mpofu for now,” Mutsauki said.