Simbu, Geay fail to win medals, hopes now rest on Shauri and Sakilu

Dar es Salaam. The hopes of Tanzania winning medals at the 2024 Olympic Games now rest on the shoulders of two female athletes, Magdalena Shauri and Jackline Sakilu, following disappointing performances by male runners Alphonce Felix Simbu and Gabriel Geay in Paris on August 10, 2024.

Simbu and Geay had been seen as strong medal contenders for Tanzania due to their impressive performances in the qualifying events leading up to the Paris Games.

However, their results in the marathon fell short of expectations, adding to the nation's growing list of missed opportunities at this year's Olympics.

Earlier in the competition, Tanzanian swimmers Collins Saliboko and Sophia Latiff, along with judoka Andrew Mlugu, also did not secure any medals in their respective events.

The early setbacks put additional pressure on the country's marathon runners, who were among the last athletes left with a chance to bring home a medal.

Simbu, who has consistently been one of Tanzania's top marathoners, finished 17th in the marathon with a time of 2:10:03.

This was a significant drop from his qualification time of 2:06:17, a performance that had initially placed him among the favorites to challenge for a medal.

Unfortunately, the grueling conditions of the race and fierce competition from other world-class runners proved too much, and Simbu was unable to maintain his qualifying form.

Geay, who also entered the race with high hopes, was unable to complete the marathon due to technical difficulties.

Geay's withdrawal was a bitter disappointment, especially considering his strong performances in the lead-up to the Games.

The exact nature of the technical issues that forced him out of the race remains unclear, but his inability to finish added to the day's frustrations for Tanzanian fans.

The marathon was ultimately won by Ethiopian runner Tamirat Tola, who set a new Olympic record with a time of 2:06:26. Tola's remarkable performance broke the previous record of 2:06:32, set by Kenya's Samuel Wanjiru during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Tola's victory earned him a $50,000 prize (Sh135m) from World Athletics, a reward that underscored the significance of his achievement.

Tola's win marked the fourth time an Ethiopian has claimed gold in the Olympic marathon, following in the footsteps of legendary runners Abebe Bikila, who won gold twice, and Mamo Wolde.

Tola's triumph was celebrated as a continuation of Ethiopia's storied legacy in long-distance running, a legacy that Tanzania had hoped to challenge in Paris.

In the same race, Belgium's Bashir Abdi secured the silver medal with a time of 2:06:47, while Kenya's Benson Kipruto took the bronze, finishing in 2:07:00.

Another notable runner, Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia, who had been tipped as a potential medalist, finished a disappointing 39th with a time of 2:12:24.