Year 1968, Summer Olympics, Mexico City, time 7 pm, the sky was beginning to darken and most of the stadium was empty. The last few spectators were also preparing to leave. Suddenly there was a surprising announcement, the last marathon runner making an entry to the stadium.
The confusion was evident among the spectators. The spectators were surprised as the marathon event got over more than an hour back, medals were already awarded, and the television crews had already left the arena. People were wondering who this man is? Why did he take so long? From their vantage point, they started looking at the stadium entrance. Police sirens, flashing lights, and a team of paramedics caught their attention. A lone runner, just emerged through the stadium gate, he was limping heavily on his injured knee. The bandage around his leg was flapping in the breeze, barely able to walk, but every now and then still attempting to run. His name was John Stephen Akhwari from Tanzania.
Hearing the news, thousands of spectators rushed back to the stadium. Television crew raced along the marathon course. The response of the crowd was so overwhelming. They encouraged John Akhwari to finish the last few meters of the race with tremendous ovations, loudest cheer, far exceeding the one given to the winner. When John finished the line, he collapsed into the arms of the medical personnel. Word got around; TV crews started following. Local radio broadcasted the story.
What has happ
ened to him! Akhwari cramped up due to the high altitude of the city that slowed his progress. 18 out of 57 competitors had pulled out due to cramp. If that was painful for him, above that bigger fate struck him. There was jockeying and jostling for the position between the runner’s, the result of this Akhwari tumbled heavily onto the tarmac. He had a deep cut in his knee, blood gushed from the gaping wound, and his shoulder hit hard against the pavement.
Seeing his injuries and desperate condition, people assumed he would pull out of the race. Anybody for that matter of fact, would have done the same, screamed for a cocktail of pain killers. Medical personnel shadowing the competitors advised him to pull out. But Akhwari refused. Perplexed and overwhelmed by his courage, they carefully bandaged his knee and treated his shoulder. Akhwari continued his race, his pace, of course, was now much lower, but his determination to complete the event remained intact. Still 23 kilometre to the finishing line. Akhwari was repeatedly asked to quit the race, but he carried on.
Akhwari demonstrated a superhuman spirit. He didn’t win the medal. Nowhere near to the winner, but he achieved something more profound and enduring – What dignity and courage. His body was exhausted, but not his spirit. Akhwari never won any Olympic gold medal, but he became the greatest example of never-give-up spirit and a tale of courage.
One question was on everybody’s mind; why did he endure such painful situation knowing no way to win. When interviewed later, he uttered the line, and it became immortalised in Olympic history. He said, “My country did not send me 5,000 miles to start the race; they sent me 5,000 miles to finish the race.” He said “If you start doing something, finish it. Otherwise, never start it.”
He became the Legend not only to Tanzanian, but to the entire world. History remembers him forever than the winner of the race.
His perseverance has touched and inspired my life. I realised “Winning is not everything,” I may not have the talent of the top people in the field I am dreaming of, but all that I can have the spirit of persistence like John Stephen Akhwari. I realised, “No matter how many times I fail, I can fulfil my dream eventually if I do not give up.”
I realised – Patience, Persistence, Perseverance, Passion, and Purpose Pays!
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