Zimbabwean
By Grace Chirumanzu
Saturday, 4 June 2011
Zimbabwe’s three-time Comrades Marathon Champion Stephen Muzhingi is set to be honoured by President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai for his success in the high-profile competition.
According to Minister of Education, David Coltart, the country’s two leaders will hosts the Muzhingi at a function in Harare, which will see the Masvingo-born athlete honoured like a hero.
“For the first time, both President Mugabe and Prime Minister Tsvangirai agreed to one cause, that is organising a special reception for the Comrades Marathon three-time winner. Mugabe said he was pleased to hear that Muzhingi had managed to defend the title he won twice in 2009 and 2010,†Coltart said.
“The reception will present Muzhingi a chance to meet the two leaders, a dream set to become true for Muzhingi after it was agreed in the cabinet that the Finance minister (Tendai Biti) was going to ascertain how much the government of Zimbabwe was going to present to Muzhingi in a reception that will be held in the city on dates to be announced.â€
In 2009 swimming sensation, Kirsty Coventry, was honoured with $50 000 cash and a diplomatic passport by Mugabe for her achievements in the Athens, Greece Olympic Games in which she won Zimbabwe’s only three medals. Muzhingi is likely to receive the same gesture of a diplomatic passport after Coltart revealed that he had been in talks with the Ministry of Home Affairs to present the athlete with a diplomatic passport referring this as a perfect appreciation for “any super star in Zimbabwe.â€
The Zimbabwean athlete won the respect of many after winning the Comrades Marathon last weekend, his third year in a row following the 2009 and 2010 victories. It has been 23 years after such a record had been attained. The last man to win the race in succession was Bruce Fordyce. Fordyce who was well known as “the Comrades King†for his eight successive wins from 1981-1988 and later the 1990 race for his ninth title.