In a moment so dramatic it redefined endurance running, Alphonce Simbu delivered a finish for the ages at the Tokyo World Championships.
After 42.195 grueling kilometers, the men's marathon came down to a breathtaking sprint inside the National Stadium.
The Race: A tactical masterclass through the streets of Tokyo.
The Moment: A stunning, last-second surge and a full-body lunge across the line.
The Verdict: A photo finish confirmed it—Alphonce Simbu won Tanzania's first-ever World Championship gold medal by the closest margin in history: a mere 0.03 seconds!
This was the ultimate test of heart, kick, and grit, crowning Simbu the undisputed World Marathon Champion.
Now, he's a nominee for the prestigious World Athletics Out of Stadium Athlete of the Year award.
A marathon decided like a 100m sprint! His historic victory against German Amanal Petros is a testament to unwavering determination that deserves the world's highest honor.
Your Vote Counts! Help celebrate this incredible, history-making moment! Cast your vote for the man who proved that in the marathon, the last three hundredths of a second are all that matters.
#VoteSimbu #WorldChampion #OutOfStadiumAOY #AthleticsAwards
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Alphonce Felix Simbu made history on Monday (15), becoming the first athlete from Tanzania to win a global title by claiming gold in the men's marathon at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.
He achieved the feat in style – with the smallest winning margin ever in a global championships marathon, having outsprinted Germany's Amanol Petros in the closing stages to finish just 0.03 ahead.
One of only two athletes representing Tanzania at the World Championships, Simbu was always in contention. He kicked in the closing 30 metres and with victory, he upgraded the world bronze medal he won in 2017 to gold.
“Today means celebrations in Tanzania,” he said. “We have written new history as a country. It was my dream. I am at peace. It is about discipline, training and never giving up.
“After 2017 I have been trying to win another medal but failed at it. Last year Paris was a challenge and this year I told myself: I will try my best. I did different types of training under different weather conditions.”
Simbu and Petros were both credited with the same time: 2:09:48.
“I have never seen something like this in the marathon – both races (men and women) came down to a sprint finish. It's like the 100m,” said Petros.
“This is four months of hard work in training – running, eating and sleeping. It was hard. But this silver gives me energy and bigger motivation that I can win bigger competitions. I was so sure I was winning, he (Simbu) surprised me. He kicked like crazy. I accept I lost today but tomorrow I can win. Today is a learning experience.”
Italy’s Iliass Aouani took bronze in 2:09:53.
“I am proud and happy about the way I conducted the race,” he said. “I was relaxed at the end and pushed through, but the other guys had more legs than me. It means a lot. This is a hard sport, people do not know that behind this medal are a lot of frustrations, a lot of bad races, missed opportunities.”
Kenya’s Vincent Ngetich took an early lead, with all the athletes grouped together. He led through 5km in 15:22, followed closely by athletes including Petros, Simbu and Aouani, plus Abel Chelangat, Isaac Mpofu, Sondre Moen, Suldan Hassan, Deresa Geleta and Stephen Kissa.
In the hot and humid conditions, athletes cooled themselves with ice and sponges, even passing them to each other.
Ngetich, running on the edge of the course, slightly increased the pace, with Chelangat and Kissa close behind. The leading pack briefly scattered before regrouping.
At Akihabara turn, Ngetich pushed the pace again, but Germany’s Richard Ringer took over and led the group through 10km in 30:48, alongside defending champion Victor Kiplangat, Chelangat, Petros, Simbu, Ngetich and Mohamed Reda El Aaraby.
The leading roles kept changing, with Morocco’s El Aaraby taking over before Ethiopia’s Tadese Takele – this year’s Tokyo Marathon champion – surged ahead. Ngetich again took the lead through the Ginza turn.
Kiplangat then grabbed a cooler and moved to the front, pushing the pace downhill. Sweden’s Hassan led a group of more than 20 runners through 20km in 1:01:54 but Kiplangat remained in control at the halfway point (1:05:19), followed by the likes of Hassan, Geleta, Kissa, Elroy Gelant and Kipkoech.
Geleta took a turn at the front, leading the pack through 30km in 1:32:27, but it was Kiplangat who surged at 33km – leading for around 6km before falling back and out of contention.
Meanwhile, his compatriot Chelangat took the lead, followed by a series of challengers – all in single file. Soon, the lead group was down to five.
As the race wound up, Chelangat and Haimro Alame dropped back, leaving Aouani, Petros and Simbu to battle for the gold. With the stadium in sight, Simbu nearly went off course.
Once inside, Petros surged with 200 metres to go, with Simbu in pursuit. Petros glanced back twice and the world title came down to a photo finish. Both were timed at 2:09:48, separated by just three hundredths of a second.
“When we entered the stadium, I was not sure if I would win. I did not know if I won. But when I saw the video screens and me on the top of the results, I felt relieved,” said Simbu.
“Before this event, I was training in Tanzania, and the conditions there helped me to win this race. I remember, when I was in Paris last year (at the Olympics), it was very challenging for me – the hills, all ups and downs. So, before Tokyo, I decided to train on different surfaces. Sometimes I went to hills, and that is what made the difference here. I had many tough moments during the race, but I told myself that I would never give up.”
Credit : Michelle Katami for World Athletics
Wanariadha 8 wakiwemo wa Mbio za Uwanjani, Mbio ndefu na Mrusha mkuki, wameondoka kwenda Accra , Ghana kushiriki mashindano ya Afrika “All African Games” ambayo yalianza toka tarehe 8 Machi hadi 23 Machi 2024.
hapa wanariadha na makocha wakiwa Kambini, Ngaramtoni, Arusha.
Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete akiwa na wanariadha Gabriel Geay (kushoto kwake) na Wence Tarimo (kulia kwake) ambao walishiriki katika Mashindano ya Riadha yaliyofanyika Boston, Marekani tarehe 17 Aprili 2023, ambapo Geay aliibuka mshindi wa pili. Kulia ni Mhe. Saada Mkuya, Waziri wa Nchi Ofisi ya Rais - Fedha na Uchumi - wa Zanzibar.
Rais Mstaafu Dkt. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete akiwa na wanariadha Gabriel Geay (kushoto kwake) na Wence Tarimo (kulia kwake) ambao walishiriki katika Mashindano ya Riadha yaliyofanyika Boston, Marekani tarehe 17 Aprili 2023, ambapo Geay aliibuka mshindi wa pili. Kulia ni Mhe. Saada Mkuya, Waziri wa Nchi Ofisi ya Rais - Fedha na Uchumi - wa Zanzibar na kushoto ni mhamasishaji mashuhuri Nick Reynolds maarufu kama Bongo Zozo.
Sudan Kusini yaipa shavu RT, Simbu Balozi mpya JICA
NA TULLO CHAMBO, RT
MASHINDANO Maalum ya Riadha ya Wanawake nchini Tanzania maarufu kama Ladies First, yamezidi kufungua ushirikiano wa mchezo huo kimataifa.
Ladies First ikiwa ni wazo la Nguli wa Riadha nchini Tanzania, Kanali mstaafu Juma Ikangaa, imefanyika mwaka huu ukiwa ni msimu wa nne na kushirikisha mikoa 30 Kati ya 31 Tanzania Bara na Visiwani.
Mwaka huu, mashindano hayo yalifanyika January 21 na 22 kwenye Uwanja wa Benjamin Mkapa jijini Dar es Salaam na kushirikisha zaidi ya wanariadha 186.
Kanali Mstaafu Ikangaa, ambaye enzi zake aliiwakilisha vema Tanzania kimataifa katika mbio za marathoni, ikiwemo nchini Japan, nchi hiyo imekuwa ikimuenzi na kumpa heshima kubwa ambapo hivi sasa ni Balozi wa Hiari wa Shirika la Maendeleo la Kimataifa la Japan (JICA).
Katika kumuenzi Kanali Ikangaa, Japan ilimtaka kusema kitu ambacho nchi hiyo iifanyie Tanzania, ndipo kwa kushirikiana na wadau wake mbalimbali, akaja na wazo la kuwaenzi na kuhamasisha wanawake kushiriki katika mchezo wa Riadha, hasa ikizingatiwa medali ya kwanza ya kimataifa Tanzania ililetwa na Mwanamke Theresia Dismas mwaka 1964, katika michezo ya All Africa nchini Congo Brazzaville, kupitia mchezo wa Kurusha Mkuki 'Javelin'.
Wazo hilo lilianza kutekelezeka mwaka 2017 kwa mashindano yaliyofanyika Uwanja wa Taifa, sasa Benjamin Mkapa jijini Dar es Salaam, ambapo baadhi ya washindi wamekuwa wakipata nafasi ya kwenda kushiriki mbio za Nagai City nchini Japan.
Katibu Mtendaji wa Baraza la Michezo la Taifa Tanzania (BMT), Bi. Neema Msitha, aliipongeza JICA na kampuni mbalimbali za Kijapan zinazofanya kazi nchini, Kanali Ikangaa,serikali ya Tanzania na Shirikisho la Riadha Tanzania (RT), kwa kufanikisha mashindano hayo kwa msimu wa nne sasa.
Bi. Msitha, anasema mashindano hayo yalianza mwaka 2017 na kufanyika kwa mafanikio makubwa miaka mitatu mfululizo hadi 2019 kabla kusitishwa kutokana na sababu mbalimbali ikiwemo janga la UVIKO 19 'Covid 19'.
"Lengo la mashindano haya ni kuhamasisha ushiriki wa watoto wa kike katika michezo hususan Riadha, kutoa fursa kwa wanariadha wa kike kuonyesha vipaji vyao na kuendeleza vipaji vya wanariadha ambao wataiwakilisha nchi katika mashindano ya kitaifa na kimataifa," anasema Bi. Msitha.
Tangu kuanza kwa mashindano hayo mwaka 2017, Wanariadha wa Tanzania na viongozi wao, wamekuwa wakipata nafasi ya kwenda kushiriki Nagai Marathon, ambapo wanariadha akiwemo Angel John Joseph Yumba, Fabian Nelson Sulle, Fabian Joseph, Alphonce Felix Simbu na wengineo wameweza kung'ara.
Mbali na hilo, Ladies First iliweza kuishirikisha nchi ya Sudan Kusini na kushiriki mashindano ya mwaka 2019 jijini Dar es Salaam.
Mwaka huu 2023, Ladies First imezidi kufungua milango katika mchezo wa Riadha Tanzania, ambapo Sudan Kusini iliwakilishwa na viongozi wake mbalimbali akiwemo Katibu Mkuu wa Wizara ya Michezo nchini humo, Peter Baptist, Balozi wa nchi hiyo nchini Tanzania, Deng Abel na wengineo.
Baptist katika salamu zake, mbali na kushukuru na kupongeza Tanzania kwa mashindano hayo, anasema na kwao wana mashindano kama hayo yajulikanayo kama 'Umoja na Amani', yakilenga kutumia michezo kuhamasisha amani na umoja katika Taifa hilo ambalo liliandamwa na vita miongoni mwao kwa miaka kadhaa.
Mwakilishi huyo, anasema katika kuendeleza ushirikiano na Tanzania, wanatoa mwaliko kwa wanariadha wanne waliofanya vizuri katika Ladies First 2023 wa mbio tofauti ukiondoa mita 5000 kwenda Sudan Kusini kushiriki mashindano hayo yanayotarajiwa kufanyika miezi miwili ijayo.
Mbali na fursa hizo zilizojitokeza Ladies First 2023, nyingine ni kwa Mwanariadha anayefanya vema hivi sasa, Mshindi wa Medali ya Fedha Common Wealth Games 2022, Alphonce Simbu, naye kuteuliwa kuwa Balozi wa Hiari JICA, akiungana na Kanali mstaafu Ikangaa.
Haya ni kati ya mafanikio ya Ladies First 2023, na hakika uwajibikaji ukizidi kuongezeka, bila shaka milango zaidi itazidi kufunguka katika medani ya riadha Tanzania.
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