Zimbabwe Sprint Legend Dies A Peasant

Zimbabwean athletics fraternity has suffered another blow after passing on of legendary sprinter Artwell Mandaza.

Mandaza’s family said that the sporting legend had his last breath on Monday at his home in Chiweshe, after a long illness, having suffered a stroke two years ago.

His son Durai told reporters that they are they were making arrangements to move the body to a local funeral home near Nzvimbo.

Mandaza rose to fame in 1970 when he ran a world record-equalling time of 9.9sec in the 100 metres at the South African Bantu Championships in Welkom, although the time was not officially recognized.

He was voted the Sportsperson of the Year that very year, becoming the first black person to win the honour. This is the same year he broke the 100m, 200m and 400m records.

Mandaza, however, never participated in the Olympics as Rhodesia was barred from the major sports event during those times.

But despite being a contributor to Zimbabwe’s great history in sports, Mandaza led a life of poverty and misery after he had retired as an athlete.

In January 2012, he was detained at a Harare hospital as his family could not raise a USD 1,000 medical bill.

Apart from financial challenges, Mandaza also fought with individuals who attempted to grab the land that was awarded to him by the government for outstanding performances in athletics in 1983.

Recently as he was lying sick in the hospital, his family still had no means of settling his bills if it weren’t for well-wishers.