Simbu earns Olympic Games, World Championship tickets

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania top male runner Alphonce Simbu has become the first athlete to qualify for the next year’s Olympic Games scheduled to take place in Paris, France.

Simbu has earned qualifying mark after winning the bronze medal in the in the Osaka Marathon held yesterday in Japan after clocking 2:06:19 at the Osaka Castle Park in Japan.

The results also means that Simbu has qualified to compete in the World Championships scheduled to take place in Budapest in Hungary in August this year.

The score is just 18 seconds behind the Ethiopian champion, Hailemaryam Kiros who won the gold medal after clocking 2:06:01, and the Kenyan, Victor Kiplagat, who clocked 2:06:03 to win silver medal.

Simbu said that he tried his level best to win the race, but was beaten by his rivals two kilometres before finishing line.

“I was parallel with them and later go ahead. After 40 kilometres, they started to gain pace and I was little bit tied. I made effort, but was too late and outshined me.

My target was to win the race, but the third place is not bad. I will make analysis where I made mistakes and rectify before the next event.

This is to say that I will take a rest in few weeks before starting preparations. August is just around a corner and my target is to do the best,” said Simbu.

Simbu is now among the five runners who are under sponsorship with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) through Olympic Solidarity.

Simbu’s best record in such competitions was in 2019 when he won the world bronze medal and at the Rio 2016 Olympics he finished fifth in the marathon.