Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube
THE National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (Naaz) and the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee (ZOC) have joined the nation in mourning legendary marathon runner Rabson Murombe, who passed away early Tuesday morning at the age of 80.
Murombe died in his home district of Binga, where he had reportedly been unwell for some time. His death was confirmed by family spokesperson Ronnie Samwamwatwa, who said he passed on shortly after midnight.
“He passed on this morning(yesterday),” said Samwamwatwa.
Naaz president Tendai Tagara described Murombe’s death as a significant loss to Zimbabwean sport.
“We always look up to our past heroes in sport. When we lose them, it’s a big blow,” Tagara told Zimpapers Sports Hub.
Zimbabwe Olympic Committee president Thabani Gonye, also expressed his sadness at the loss of the trailblazing long distance runner.
“It’s hard, my brother. It’s a very sad loss, for real,” said Gonye.
Born in Binga, on September 12, 1945, Murombe etched his name in the history books in 1964 when, alongside Mathias Kanda, he became one of the first Black athletes to represent Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. The duo followed Cyprian Tseriwa, who had competed at the 1962 Empire Games (now the Commonwealth Games), making Murombe part of a pioneering generation.
Murombe began his education at Manjolo Area in Binga, completing up to Standard Three before moving to Hwange, where he enrolled at St Ignatius Primary School, a known cradle for athletic talent.
“I received little education. I went as far as Standard Five because my father could not afford fees beyond that. I was one of two boys in a family of six, and we had to help dad fend for the family,” Murombe said in a June 2005 interview with this writer.
Encouraged by St Ignatius headmaster Nelson Mwasinga, Murombe joined the Colliery Athletics Club, quickly establishing himself as a formidable runner. He competed nationally in events like the Chamber of Mines Track and Field Championships, often going head-to-head with some of the country’s best.
He was part of a strong Hwange team that included the likes of sprinter Mwape Sakala, hurdler Phineas Ajida, and veterans such as Tseriwa, Charles Mafika, Vuyani Fulunga Moyo, Adon Treva, and Alfred Ncube.
As a junior, Murombe impressed in his debut Chamber Games 10,000m race, finishing fourth behind Lovemore Tauro, Tseriwa, and Lotia Ndlovu.
Murombe’s personal best marathon time was 2 hours 18 minutes, once a B-standard Olympic qualifying mark. At the Tokyo Olympics, he placed 21st in a field of over 300, attributing his performance to the lack of a personal coach on the trip.
Over his career, he competed against other top local runners, including Pilate Ndlovu, Jacob Ndiweni, Milton Ngwenya and Bernard Dzoma.
On May 28, 1972, Murombe won the country’s top marathon race in Bulawayo, earning a place in the Rhodesian team for the 1972 Munich Olympics.
Funeral arrangements are expected to be finalised by Wednesday as more family members arrive in Binga.
