All eyes on Simbu as he chases ‘gold’

Tanzania’s long distance runner Alphonce Simbu crosses the finish line during the 2017 Mumbai Marathon in January. The 25-year old competes at the London Marathon today. PHOTO | AFP

What you need to know:

  • After over a decade of being overlooked for money-spinning invitational events, Tanzania will at last have a representative in Alphonce Simbu.
  • Simbu, who finished fifth at the 2016 Rio Olympics and went on to win the Mumbai Marathon in January, landed in London on Friday, fired up to square it out for the top medal and the jackpot that goes with it.

Dar es Salaam. The count down for the 2017 London Marathon is over and elite runners from around the world are just waiting for the starting pistol.

After over a decade of being overlooked for money-spinning invitational events, Tanzania will at last have a representative in Alphonce Simbu.

Simbu, who finished fifth at the 2016 Rio Olympics and went on to win the Mumbai Marathon in January, landed in London on Friday, fired up to square it out for the top medal and the jackpot that goes with it.

Should he finish the 42.2 kilometre in sub 2:05:00 hours, he will be entitled to some cool $100,000, which is equivalent to Sh223 million, almost thrice the money he bagged after winning the Mumbai race.

Speaking via telephone, yesterday, Simbu said he was mentally and physically fit ahead of the race, which will bring together the best runners from across the world.

“I am both psychologically and physically okay. If all goes well, I will give my best shot at the race. I want to come out with a medal from this event,” said the 25-year-old.

He, however, admitted that he will face a stiff competition from the runners from Kenya and Ethiopia who are the kings and queens of the long distance races.

“I am aware of the threat Kenyans and Ethiopians pose. They always have a perfect strategy of winning at various races, but I am well prepared to defy the odds,” he said.

Kenya has produced the winner of the men’s London Marathon 11 times in past last 13 years and their dominance in the race does not look likely to subside in the showdown on Sunday morning –despite a classy field that features Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele, the world’s second fastest marathoner of all time.

Simbu will also have to beat the Ethiopian runners like Tesfaye Abera, Feyisa Lilesa, Asefa Mengstu and Tilahun Regassa, and Kenyans Abel Kirui, and Daniel Wanjiru.

“If you look at the list of athletes competing tomorrow (today), you may have butterflies in your stomach, but I have overcome that and I will be out there chasing the gold medal,” added Simbu.

“Besides, I want to secure qualifying marks for the world championships, so expect a different Simbu come Sunday. The weather here in London looks good and I pray it remains good.”

Athletics Tanzania (AT) president Anthony Mtaka wished the country’s sole representative good luck, calling on him to keep a cool head.

“This is a big event where he will square it out with the best runners, so we urge him to keep a cool head,” Mtaka said.

London Marathon, which marks the start of 2017/18 Abbott World Marathon Majors series, is run on a flat course that has 19 turns.