John Stephen Akhwari was a marathon runner who represented Tanzania in the 1968 Olympic marathon in Mexico City. During the race, Akhwari fell, cutting his knee and dislocating it. He also banged his shoulder against the tarmac. Most spectators, seeing his injuries, assumed he would withdraw and go to hospital. Instead, he received medical treatment and returned to the track to continue his race. His pace was now much slower, but his determination to finish the race remained undiminished. Eighteen of the 75 starters had already withdrawn; he did not wish to be added to that number. More than an hour after the winner, the Tanzanian Akhwari crossed the finish line in last place, cheered on by a few thousand spectators who had remained in the stadium after sunset. The medals had already been awarded. When he arrived at the stadium, he was limping and the bandage around his leg fluttered in the wind. He was asked why he had persevered, and his reply went down in sporting history. “My country didn’t send me 5,000 miles from here just to start the race,” he said. “It sent me 5,000 miles from here to finish it.” ” Akhwari recovered from his injuries and continued to run long-distance races. He finished fifth in the marathon at the 1970 Commonwealth Games and also ran the 10,000 metres at this same edition. John Stephen Akhwari was invited at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.