By Pastor Richard Tembo.
Leeds, England. (News of The South) – The late Artwell Mandaza former Zimbabwe’s incredible and indomitable sprinter of his time has died leaving an indelible record and May His Soul rest in peace.
He was a typical sports man who inspired a lot of youths during both the colonial era and after Zimbabwe independence. His name was a talk of every young athlete at schools and social clubs.
He became famous in the 1970s as the first African sprinter to clock an incredible 9.9 seconds per 100 metres with a following wind of 4.27 meters per second, far more than the officially allowed wind following of 2 meters per second, gaining himself an 11th position in the world of fastest sprinters.
After independence and with Zimbabwe eyeing for the world Olympics in 1984, Artwell Mandaza was selected to take part in the fund raising event to support the Zimbabwe Olympics team. The event was made unique by making him race against one of the top horses at Borrowdale Park race course in Harare. With the event having well advertised, as an inspired young person then, I and my friends made it a point that we witnessed him race against the horse that afternoon.
Although he had long retired from athletics he definitely made himself a name and indeed for the country to participate in such a historical event thus becoming the first person in the racing fraternity to race against a horse. He did it and shocked the world and everyone present that he ran a 60 meter race against such a strong and most popular horse.
He was quite a world record breaker who deserved to be in the Guinness World Records if justice and fairness were afforded the opportunity. However, a Mandaza Foundation will help heal that anomaly so as to inspire the future athletics generation.
May His Soul Rest In Peace
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