World Championships gold medallist Alphonce Felix Simbu will lead a three-member Tanzanian contingent into action at the Sydney Marathon in Australia tomorrow, with the athletes determined to deliver a strong performance and raise the national flag on the international stage.
Simbu will be joined by fellow Tanzanian runners Magdalena Shauri and Benjamini Ferdinandi, under the guidance of coach Antony Mwingereza, as they take on a highly competitive field in one of the world’s major marathon events.
Speaking on behalf of the team, Simbu said they were in good shape and confident in their preparations ahead of the race.
“We thank God that we are safe. We have prepared well and are ready to fly the Tanzanian flag high in this competition,” Simbu said.
He said the athletes understood the expectations of Tanzanians back home and were determined to give their best in a bid to secure positive results for the country.
Simbu said their preparations had gone according to plan, with coach Mwingereza having played his part in getting the team ready for the challenge.
“The coach has done his part. Our responsibility now is to implement what we have been taught and follow his instructions so that we can achieve good results,” he said.
The experienced marathoner also called on Tanzanians to keep the team in their prayers as they compete in Sydney.
“We ask Tanzanians to pray for us so that we can perform well and fly the Tanzanian flag high by securing positive results,” Simbu said.
The Sydney Marathon presents another opportunity for Tanzania’s leading distance runners to showcase their talent on the global stage, with Simbu’s international experience expected to provide valuable leadership to the team.