Former Olympian Robson Mulombe Dies

Robson Mulombe, a former Olympian and pioneering long-distance runner from Matabeleland North Province, has died. He passed away on Tuesday after a long illness.

Mulombe made history by competing in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, representing Rhodesia in the men’s marathon. He finished 56th with a time of 2 hours, 49 minutes, and 30 seconds, despite struggling with cramps during the race. Though he qualified for the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico, he did not participate.

Born on September 12, 1945, Mulombe began his running career in the 1960s at Kanchindu Mission School in Zambia before joining the Wankie Athletic Club. He became a fierce competitor on the Rhodesian track and field circuit, gaining national and regional recognition.

Among his many accolades, he won the 60th Edition Rhodesia Athletics Championship in 1969, the Mashonaland Senior Championship in 1971, and the South African Marathon Championship in the same year with a time of 2:32:13. He also claimed titles in the South Africa Chamber of Mines races (1966 and 1971) and the Orange Free State race in 1970.

Mulombe later joined Hwange Athletics Club, where he trained alongside renowned athlete Mathias Kanda, often running the gruelling route between Hwange and Victoria Falls.

In recognition of his contribution to sport, he was named honorary member of the Kujatana Nkubotu peace half-marathon in Binga in 2012 and served as patron of the Binga Kasambabezi Marathon. In 2022, the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee donated a grinding mill to him as a gesture of appreciation for his service and legacy as an Olympian.

Mulombe’s achievements have been widely celebrated in Zimbabwe, where his career continues to inspire generations of athletes.