Africa-Press – Tanzania. PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has tasked the sports associations whose athletes brought Tanzania medals in the major events to use the arrival of the Queen’s Baton as a wake-up call to regain the lost glory.
Tanzania has reaped 21 medals garnered through field events, sprints, and middle distance and long distance races in its 60 years since gaining independence from Britain in 1961.
The most valued medal in Commonwelath Games for Tanzania is gold won by Filbert Bayi in 1974 in Christchurch, New Zealand, when he set a world record in 3000m steeplechase.
The arrival of the Queen’s Baton in Tanzania officially signals the coming of the next Commonwealth Games to be held in Birmingham England in 2022.
President Samia called on the bodies that govern three sports whose athletes won medals for Tanzania to use the arrival of the baton to start preparation for the Club Games of Birmingham. Samson Ramadhan won Tanzania’s last Commonwealth Games medal in 2006.
He won the gold medal in the 42km full marathon. Francis Naali won Tanzania’s first gold medal in marathon at Club Games, held in Manchester, England in 2002, when he finished first in the 42km race. Out of 21 medals, Tanzania has hauled six gold, six silver and nine bronze medals.
Titus Simba won the first silver medal in boxing in 1968 in Edinburg Scotland and his success propelled the success of the sport to become the major medal hope in many other global level events .
The first gold medal in boxing the Commonwealth Games was won by Michael Yombayomba in the Club Games held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 1998.
Marathoners Simon Mrashani and Geway Suja also won silver and bronze medals in the same event. Filbert Bayi has remained the Commonwealth Games legend after breaking a 1500m record in the Games held in 1974 in Christchurch New Zealand.
He won the race after beating John Walker of New Zealand and Ben Jipcho of Kenya. Bayi’s Club Games record has remained unbroken for 47 years.
Bayi, who serves as the Secretary General of Tanzania Olympic Committee, presented the Queen’s Baton to President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the State House in Dar es Salaam on Saturday.
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