ATHLETE Mwahija Kisoma, a dedicated instructor at Mzumbe University in Morogoro region has made history as the first Tanzanian to compete in the prestigious Grand Spartan Competition.
Kisoma showcased her strength and determination in the women-only Spartan Night sprint race, a gruelling 5-km course featuring 20 obstacles, set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Al Wathba Desert near Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
Her participation in this globally acclaimed Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) event, organised by Spartan in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, represents a groundbreaking achievement for Tanzania, solidifying Kisoma’s place as a trailblazer in international athletics.
Kisoma finished at 42 places in the field of over 323 participants from around the globe. She also ranks 9th for the participants aged between 30-34 category out of 61.
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“I am thrilled to participate in the OCR event for the first time, it has given me a glimpse of what to expect in upcoming competitions.
“The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that these obstacle races require a lot of patience, endurance and attentiveness to what needs to be done at each obstacle; otherwise, penalties will come into play,” she explained.
Kisoma said she thanked God that she managed to overcome all the obstacles safely without any penalties. She said preparations for the second race are going well and is ready to put Tanzania and her institution into the spotlight.
“Today (yesterday), I continued with light exercises to stay prepared and keep my body in good condition for the second competition,” he said.
Kisoma’s journey doesn’t end with her initial success. She is poised to take on even greater challenges in the coming days, participating in two additional Spartan races.
She will return to the venue today to compete at the 21-km course with 30 obstacles, officially recognised as an Elite and Age Group World Championship event. On Sunday will be a demanding 10-kilometre race, featuring 25 obstacles.
If Kisoma completes all three races, she will achieve her firstever Trifecta status a prestigious Spartan accolade that would further cement her position among elite OCR athletes while marking another milestone for Tanzanian sports according to Abdallah Chapa a Scope Event organiser of Kisoma trip general secretary.
After the Abu Dhabi competition concludes on December 1, she will head to Dubai for the highly anticipated Dubai Championships, held from December 5 to 8. Organised by Dubai Police and the Dubai Sports Council in partnership with the Fédération Internationale de Sports (FISO), the event will see Kisoma compete in the 2500m and 5000m events.
