Catching up with Lewis Banda
IT has been roughly eight years since Lewis Banda called time on an otherwise promising career and abruptly put an end to what is now referred to as the golden age of Zimbabwe athletics. He is, however, content with what he achieved. Today, the 37-year-old spends most of his time trading back and forth between his duties at Texas Christian College, where he is a physiotherapist, and serving on the frontline in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. As The Sunday Mail continues to celebrate some of the top sportsmen and women of the last 40 years since Independence, our Deputy Sports Editor TINASHE KUSEMA caught up with Banda to talk about his time on the track. Below are excerpts of the interview.
********************
Q: Let us start with your general bio . . . Full name, date of birth, educational and family history.
A: My full name is Lewis Simon Banda and I was born on September 16, 1982. I attended Gifford High School and then Milton High School. For my tertiary education, I attended Arizona State University and then finished at Texas Christian University.
Q: Are you the only member of your family who did any sport, either school, amateur or semi-professional?
A: My cousins did sports in high school and right now my nephews have taken up athletics too. It is fun watching them grow in the sport I love.
Q: At school, did you partake in any other sport other than athletics?
A: At high school I played rugby, soccer and a little cricket, but (I) never played them beyond high school.
Q: How and when did you get into athletics?
A: I got into athletics when one of the coaches convinced me that I would do well in the track and field. I have forgotten his name now, but he was a technical graphics teacher at Gifford High School. He was the person that connected me to coach Ken (Kenneth Nyape). Under him, I started training seriously and the rest is “mystory” (variant of history). Q: What were some of your special
achievements, records and awards?
A: The first time competing internationally was in Mauritius, where I came second in the 400 metres and 200m, and then the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham (United Kingdom). I did not do so well there. I came to college and won conference titles in my freshman year, after which I focused on the national championships. The following year, 2004, I made it to the Olympics in Athens, Greece and finished eighth overall that year, but did not make the final. In the end, I finished my college career with 11 American and a lot of conference titles. My professional career did not go as great as my college career, as I was plagued by injuries for the most part, and trying to work and keep training at the same time was tough.
I did manage to win gold and silver and bronze in the relays at the African Championships and African Games. I then stopped running in 2012 and now I just do it for fun. Q: When and why did you retire? A: In 2012, I decided that it was time to move on . . . I had to think about the future and how I needed to pay bills.
Q: Do you have any regrets or things you wanted to achieve, but never did?
A: None at all! (I) enjoyed everything and all the opportunities I got.
Q: Any special memories from your illustrious career?
A: Nothing special really; just travelling and getting to represent my country and schools.
Q: You were part and parcel of what is now termed as the golden generation of Zimbabwe athletics, alongside the likes of Ngoni Makusha, Gabriel Mvumvure and others. What are some of your most treasured memories?
A: Just great watching them grow from the first time I met them to what they are doing now has been special. Most of them are now coaches and mentors for young athletes.
Q: Some of your records are still intact till this day. Does this paint a picture of your high or the falling standards of Zimbabwe athletics?
A: There is a lot of talent in Zimbabwe and most just need the exposure to higher-level competitions. I believe if they are
given opportunities like I what happened to me, then the records will definitely be broken.
Q: Do you know any of the current crop of runners and what advice would you share with them?
A: I have a few kids that do get in touch with me and ask questions and I help anyway I can. Everyone is different, so I try to advise accordingly.
Q: What have you been up to since retiring, because I hear that you occasionally help the likes of Tino Matiyenga, Chengetayi Mapaya and other athletes train?
A: I went back to school and now I am a physio. I help out with anything I can to try and keep these young guys healthy so they can achieve their dreams.
Q: Your thoughts on Mapaya and Matiyenga: their future and ability to make it big on the international stage.
A: They are both great athletes who put in a lot of hard work during off-season and the results will show when they start competing at the bigger stages more consistently. Off the track, they are great kids.
Q: This year has been blemished by the Covid-19 pandemic. Tell us your experiences with the virus?
A: I work in healthcare, so I see it every day. It is really sad that some people are not taking it seriously, putting others at risk, but I have treated patients with Covid-19 and some did not recover from it.
Q: How did it impact you physically and mentally, and how do you manage to get by?
A: (I) just keep working. My employers put in measures to make sure all employees stay safe, and so far we are okay.
Q: Away from the track, what are some of your likes, dislikes and hobbies?
A: All I do is workout, read more about the health industry and try to make the best of life with my wife and kid.
Q: As a parting shot, how would you describe yourself?
A: Mentally conditioned!
Q: What are three things that people either don’t know about you or simply get wrong?
A: Well, most people think I am mean and when they talk to me they realise that my personality is different.