No. 34 Samuel Matete Country:
Zambia Sport: Track and Field
Matete is the most dominant 400 meters hurdler to come of Africa; he won the Silver Medal in three Olym- pic Games in 1988, 92 and 96. He is from Chingola Zambia and is the most recognizable Athlete to come out of Zambia till date. He fell short on winning the gold in the hurdles at the Olympic Games but won several gold medals in other major meets as he was a world champion at the 1991 IAAF Athletics World Championships in Tokyo Japan and Commonwealth Games Champion.
Samuel Matete is currently the African Record Holder in the 400 meters Hurdles with a time of 47.10 sec a time in set at a meet in Zurich. He was a determined competitor and was noted for his fast finish to his races he competed against many world renowned athletes including the legendary American hurdler Edwin Moses. He is retired today and stays close to the sport in his home country Zambia where he recently led the national delegation to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi India.
No. 33 Mamo Wolde Country:
Ethiopia Sport: Track and Field
Another major force in Ethiopian distance running traditions Mamo Wolde, was a soldier in the imperial Bodyguards just like Abebe Bikila and he would eventually win the Marathon in the 1968 Olympic just like Bikila had done in the past two Olympics. Wolde would again win another Medal in the Marathon in the 1972 Munich Olympics but it was a bronze medal this time around and he blamed his lackluster performance on inappropriate footwear. In Africa’s Sports History there have been few Africans who have won an Olympic Gold Medal and Mamo Wolde was one of them.
Mamo would later be tangled in a web of some serious political problems in his homeland in fact he was jailed for his alleged involvement in executions during Mengistu Haile Mariam’s regime and reign of terror on the Ethiopian people. He maintained his innocence till he died years later shortly after his release from prison from a mysterious illness.
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