AICC hails Simbu as a national hero reviving TZ’s athletic glory

ARUSHA: THE Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC) has paid glowing tribute to Tanzanian long-distance runner, Alphonce Simbu, hailing him as a national icon who has rekindled the country’s long-lost glory on the global athletics stage.

Simbu recently won gold medal at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, a victory that has stirred national pride and reignited the flame of track and field success for Tanzania. Speaking during a special event held to honour the world champion, AICC official, Assah Mwambene, described Simbu’s triumph as a defining moment for Tanzanian sport.

“Your victory at one of the most prestigious global athletics stages signals that Tanzania’s long-term efforts to revive track and field are bearing fruit. This also echoes President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s vision and passion for seeing Tanzania excel in international sports,” Mwambene remarked.

He added that Simbu’s win marks the first gold medal by a Tanzanian athlete in nearly two decades, since Samson Ramadhan clinched gold in the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

Simbu joins a prestigious list of Tanzanian athletics legends, including Filbert Bayi, who broke the world record at the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand and later won silver in the 3000m steeplechase at the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

ALSO READ: PM awards Simbu 20m/- for winning a gold medal in the IAAF Marathon

Another is Gidamis Shahanga who brought home gold in the 10,000m at the 1978 Edmonton Commonwealth Games. These milestones, Mwambene noted, have created a legacy that Simbu is now proudly extending into the new era. Humbled by the occasion, Simbu expressed his appreciation to AICC for the warm reception and recognition of his hard-fought victory.

“I am deeply honoured and grateful for this warm welcome. Visiting AICC and being celebrated here is something I will always cherish,” he said.

The athlete was accompanied by Rogart Stephen Akhwari, President of Athletics Tanzania (AT), and Benson Maneno, the Arusha City Council Sports Officer. Akhwari, himself a son of the legendary Tanzanian marathoner John Stephen Akhwari, added an emotional layer to the visit.

His father is globally remembered for his heroic perseverance in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, where despite suffering a dislocated knee and shoulder injury, he famously completed the marathon, epitomising the spirit of endurance and resilience.

“My father always believed in finishing what one starts. Alphonce Simbu’s story is a continuation of that legacy and we are proud to witness this moment,” said Akhwari. Simbu’s victory has not only placed Tanzania back in the international athletics spotlight but also inspired a new generation of athletes who now dare to dream.