Three Tanzanian long-distance runners are set to represent the country at the Sydney Marathon in Australia on August 30, as they seek strong performances on the international stage.
The athletes Alphonce Felix Simbu, Magdalena Shauri and Benjamini Ferdinandi—will carry Tanzania’s hopes in one of the major marathon events on the international calendar.
Speaking before their departure, Simbu said the athletes were confident in their preparations and ready to put their training into practice when they take to the course in Sydney.
He said their preparations had been thorough, with the coaching team having played its part in ensuring they were physically and mentally ready for the challenge.
“Our coach has done his part, and now the responsibility is on us to put into practice everything we have been taught during training,” Simbu said.
Simbu also expressed appreciation to NMB Bank for supporting the athletes throughout their preparations, saying the partnership had contributed to their readiness for the competition.
“We have made adequate preparations, and personally, I would like to thank NMB Bank for being with us from the beginning of our preparations to the end. I promise that we will go there and do our best,” he said.
The experienced runner called on Tanzanians to support the team with prayers as they seek to produce strong results and proudly represent the country.
“We ask Tanzanians to pray for us so that we can perform well and fly the Tanzanian flag high by achieving positive results,” he said.
The Sydney Marathon will provide another opportunity for Tanzanian athletes to compete against some of the world’s leading distance runners, with Simbu, Shauri and Ferdinandi expected to use the platform to demonstrate Tanzania’s growing presence in international athletics.