The Sunday Mail
Brighton Zhawi
AT school, Rudo Mhonderwa was forced into athletics. She was unbeatable at short and long distances but had no passion for the sport. However, a dawning realisation that being good in marathons would enhance her chances of attaining the childhood goal of being a member of the Zimbabwe Republic Police spurred Mhonderwa.
The real turning point came at the ZRP Commissioner-General’s 2015 Race when she met veteran marathon runner Tabitha Tsatsa.
Mhonderwa had just suffered the humiliation of being disqualified from the juniors’ category and was pretty downbeat.
“I didn’t know that if you’re over 20 years of age you were no longer a junior athlete and I was disqualified after I had come third in the juniors’ category.
“It was on that day I met Tabitha Tsatsa who roped me in and started training me. We have been staying together for the past one-and-a-half years and I am so grateful for what she has done for me,” says Mhonderwa.
Now the 21–year-old athlete is dreaming of capturing the world’s attention when she competes for Team Zimbabwe at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Kampala, Uganda next month.
Mhonderwa qualified for the prestigious event with a personal best time of 37 minutes 5.31 seconds in the senior women’s category.
She will be joined in Team Zimbabwe by Tatenda Ndlovu (junior women), Wellington Varevi (senior men, 10km) and Tanaka Hove (junior men, 8km).
Mhonderwa is relishing the prospect of going stride-for-stride with some of the world’s best long-distance runners.
“The feeling is awesome. It will be my first time to participate in a world event and I can’t wait,” she enthuses. “I cannot really believe this happening to me, Rudo who was forced to do athletics at Pfumira Secondary School.
“I really have to thank my father, Givemore Mhonderwa, and my teacher, Mr Musara, who encouraged me to take up long-distance running after they realised I wanted to join the police force.”
Tsatsa views Mhonderwa as a daughter and is tipping her to shine in Kampala.
“I am happy for her. When I met het she was just this young girl from Chihota who had raw talent but little exposure,” she recalls. “I felt I had to rope her in and share my experience, I never had a mentor when I started, but I saw the need to help her and today here she is.”
