JOHN STEPHEN AKHWARI...HUYU KWELI NI SHUJAA

John Stephen Akhwari (amezaliwa 1938) ni mwanariadha kutoka nchi ya Tanzania aliyehudhuria Michezo ya Olimpiki mwaka wa 1968 kule Mexiko upande wa mbio ya marathoni

1968 Olympic marathon Katika mashindano ya olimpiki yaliyofanyika Mexico City mwaka 1968, Akhwari alimaliza akiwa mtu wa mwisho baada ya kuanguka na kuumia vibaya mguu wake. Aliendelea na mbio zake baada ya kupewa huduma ya kwanza kitendo ambacho kilidhihirisha ushujaa wake, katika mbio hizo Akhwari alimaliza wa mwisho kati ya 57 ambao walishiriki mashindano hayo. Mshindi wa mbio hizo za marathon mwaka huo alikuwa Muethiopia Mamo Wolde ambaye alimaliza saa 2:20:26 na Akhwari akimaliza mbio hizo baada ya saa moja kupita kitendo ambacho kimemfanya aingie kwenye kitabu cha matukio 100 ya Kukumbukwa ya Olympic. Kipindi Akhwari anamaliza mbio zake watu wachache sana walikuwa wamebaki uwanjani na baada ya kumuona anaingia walimshangilia sana kwa ushujaa aliouonyesha. Baada ya kumaliza mbio waandishi wa habari walimfuata kwa wingi sana kwa ajili ya mahojiano, walipomuuliza kwa nini aliendelea kukimbia wakati alikuwa ameumia aliwajibu “My country did not send me to Mexico City to start the race. They sent me to finish” Ama kweli huyu ni shujaa

Baada ya mashindano hayo ya Olympic ya mwaka 1968, Akhwari alishiriki pia mashindano ya Jumuiya ya Madola 1970 na kumaliza katika nafasi ya tano. Kituo cha michezo cha John Stephen Akhwari Athletic Foundation kilifunguliwa na kupewa jina lake kama heshima kwake katika tasnia ya mchezo wa riadha. Kutokana na Ushujaa wake kamati ya Olympic duniani (IOC) imempa mualiko wa kudumu katika mashindano yote ya Olympic yatakayofanyika kipindi chote atakapokua hai.

Mexico,1968 Out of the cold darkness he came. John Stephen Akhwari of Tanzania entered at the far end of the stadium, pain hobbling his every step, his leg bloody and bandaged. The winner of the marathon had been declared over an hour earlier. Only a few spectators remained. But the lone runner pressed on. As he crossed the finish line, the small crowd roared out its appreciation. Afterward, a reporter asked the runner why he had not retired from the race, since he had no chance of winning. He seemed confused by the question. Finally, he answered: "My country did not send me to Mexico City to start the race. They sent me to finish. TOA MAONI YAKO HAPA CHINI