Tanzanian Olympic hero John Stephen Akhwari poses for a picture during the shooting of the music video "The Hero" at the track-and-field arena of Beijing Forestry University on January 2, 2008.John Stephen Akhwari (b. 1938 in Mbulu, Tanganyika) was an Olympic athlete at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. He represented Tanzania in the marathon. During the race he fell, badly cutting his knee and dislocating the joint. Rather than quitting, he continued running.
He finished last among the 74 competitors. When asked why he continued running, he said simply, "My country did not send me to Mexico City to start the race. They sent me to finish."
Akhwari competed for ten years after the 1968 Olympics. He finished fifth in the marathon at the 1970 Commonwealth Games. There was an article written up in Delta's Sky Magazine. Akhwari has lent his name to the John Stephen Akhwari Athletic Foundation, an organization which supports Tanzanian athletes training for the Olympic Games.
He was invited to the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Recently, he appeared in Beijing as a goodwill ambassador in preparation for the 2008 Games.
http://en.beijing2008.cn/culture/songs/n214225553.shtml - Akhwari, 'Hero' of Olympic music video
Also watch: http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=Hq3rOMnLGBk
nafikiri huyu ndio alipaswa kuwa rais wa olympic tanzania maana yuko na moyo wa kujituma na kupenda nchi yake na sio walioko sasa,mungu ibariki tanzania na naipenda kwa moyo wote
ReplyDeletenafikiri michu hiyo picha hapo juu sio ya john steven akwhari mwenyewe manake alifariki miaka mingi inakuwaje 2008 apige picha hiyo au kafufuka,au nimwanae ,mmpwa au ,naomba ufafanuzi zaidi
ReplyDeleteHuyo mtoa habari muongo. Kama alianguka na kikatokea anachokiita "dislocating the joint" basi asingeweza kutembea kwa miguu miwili let alone kukimbia. Labda ana maana nyingine tofauti na inavyotumia kidaktari. Au alitumia magogo kukimbilia????
ReplyDeleteTypical Tanzanian....Typical Mjamaa na mvumilivu wa kutosha kutufundisha nini maana ya kuwa Mtanzania...
ReplyDeleteNakuvulia kofia...ubarikiwe
Nyaningedere
We anon wa pili hapo juu wacha kudanganya na kuchulia watu..John Akwhari mwenyewe alikuja hapa Sydney hivi karibuni ni jamaa poa sana...ilinisikitisha sana kwani huyu jamaa alitafutwa sana na watu walituma fedha kumsaka na mafisadi wakatia ndani mwishowe alikuja kupatikana kijijini kwao akiishi normal life..
ReplyDeleteInaelekea wewe anon # 3 ni mporipori wa mwisho kuna wanamichezo wangapi wanategeuka viungo na baada ya muda wanarudi kwenye hali zao za mwanzo?Hospital zipo kwa ajili ya kutibu matatizo mbalimbali.Joint ikiwa dislocated inaweza ku-relocate inavyotakiwa.
ReplyDeleteTatu huyu jamaa na statement yake hii "my country didnt send me to mexico city..." nimeshaisikia ESPN kuna mtangazaji alikuwa anamwongelea huyu jamaa.
Na anon uliyesema jamaa alishafariki,nadhani kwenye hii habari wamesema ali rent au lent jina kwa mtu mwingine sasa sijui huyu aliye pichani ni ORIGINAL ama ni anayelitumia jina.
Unaona haya nchi za nje zinamuenzi lakini bongo hata kutupa historia yake hamna anayejali. Hawa ndio wangekimbiza mwenge wa olympic ulivyoingia bongo.
ReplyDeleteShame on US
Anin. Wa July 07,2008 11:21 am
ReplyDeleteChonde chonde wewe unayesema John Steven Alifariki siku nyingi.
Sasa kwa taarifa fupi ama ndefu ni mzima wa afya njema, tena huwa anakula tizi kwa sana tu.
unavyomuona ndivyo alivyo sasa. Take it from me.
Mbali ya kuwa ndugu wa karibu,Mimi nyumbani kwetu na kwake ni Jirani. Tena tema mate chini usimchulie mzee wa watu.
isitoshe ana kijana wake ambaye naye anaendeleza Libeneke la riadha. Anaitwa Rogert John Steven.
Nakutakia maisha marefu mzee John Steven.
Mdau A-Town