Folks, As the Olympics enter into their final stages and my favourite event, the marathon, I would like to share this video with you.
This story is about my first Olympic hero. I was 10 years old at the time. John Stephen Akhwari ran the 1968 marathon representing Tanzania in Mexico and finished last. He crossed the finish line an hour after the winner. John Stephen was injured and entered the stadium bandaged and in agony. When asked why he still kept going, he answered, "My (newly independent) country did not send me 5,000 miles to start the race, it sent me to finish the race." Here is an opportunity to check out what can be an inspirational video for the rest of us. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6oW9uYtJnA MervynOOOOOLobo PS. In all probability Zeno Fernandes, a Goan born in Zanzibar and captain of the Mexican 1968 Field Hockey team, would have been in the Olympic stadium at the time. I wonder what he was thinking, seeing a Tanzanian entering the stadium at the last moment.....
