Mutola not yet a legend
IT is understandable why several men suddenly want to know Maria de Lourdes Mutola’s marital status.
I Say So By James Bakama
IT is understandable why several men suddenly want to know Maria de Lourdes Mutola’s marital status.
Having a millionaire for a wife would be a take off point that most men would die for.
The Maputo Express heightened this urge when she added $1m to her earnings via her IAAF Golden League Jackpot victory.
Mind you, all this is on top of $40,000 Mutola earned for winning the World Indoor Championships, $60,000 for her World Championship run in Paris and $90,000 from her victories in the six Golden League meets.
Then, there are endorsements and other earnings from the track that have come the Mozambican’s way in a decade.
At 30, most athletes would be thinking of a comfortable retirement. This is more so if you have an Olympic gold, two world titles and an African record to your credit as is the case with Mutola.
But Mutola is not about to call it quits. There is in fact everything to show that she is still around.
I will not be surprised to see her on the medal podium again at the Athens Olympics.
You only have to look at the ease with which she has lately been winning to know exactly what I mean.
But despite her illustrious record, there is still a debate as to whether the stocky Mutola has made it to that list of all- time greats.
It all stems from the fact that a world record is still missing in Mutola's long list of achievements.
Mutola fades out when the women’s 800 meter top athletes all time list is used as a basis of judgement. Her one minute 55.19 seconds personal best is 12th on the all time list topped by Czech runner Jamila Kratochvilova. Or has the record been elusive because of reasons beyond Mutola.
Competition, a crucial pre-requisite to records, has not been that intense in Mutola’s era as was the case in 1983 when Kravtochvilova set her mark. The field then had big names like Russia’s Nadezhda Olizarenko, Olga Mineyeva and the Cuban gazelle Ana Fidelia Quirot.
Mutola will nevertheless have to set a world record if her name is to be immortalised in the athletics annals.
jbakama@newvision.co.ug
Ends
IT is understandable why several men suddenly want to know Maria de Lourdes Mutola’s marital status.
Having a millionaire for a wife would be a take off point that most men would die for.
The Maputo Express heightened this urge when she added $1m to her earnings via her IAAF Golden League Jackpot victory.
Mind you, all this is on top of $40,000 Mutola earned for winning the World Indoor Championships, $60,000 for her World Championship run in Paris and $90,000 from her victories in the six Golden League meets.
Then, there are endorsements and other earnings from the track that have come the Mozambican’s way in a decade.
At 30, most athletes would be thinking of a comfortable retirement. This is more so if you have an Olympic gold, two world titles and an African record to your credit as is the case with Mutola.
But Mutola is not about to call it quits. There is in fact everything to show that she is still around.
I will not be surprised to see her on the medal podium again at the Athens Olympics.
You only have to look at the ease with which she has lately been winning to know exactly what I mean.
But despite her illustrious record, there is still a debate as to whether the stocky Mutola has made it to that list of all- time greats.
It all stems from the fact that a world record is still missing in Mutola's long list of achievements.
Mutola fades out when the women’s 800 meter top athletes all time list is used as a basis of judgement. Her one minute 55.19 seconds personal best is 12th on the all time list topped by Czech runner Jamila Kratochvilova. Or has the record been elusive because of reasons beyond Mutola.
Competition, a crucial pre-requisite to records, has not been that intense in Mutola’s era as was the case in 1983 when Kravtochvilova set her mark. The field then had big names like Russia’s Nadezhda Olizarenko, Olga Mineyeva and the Cuban gazelle Ana Fidelia Quirot.
Mutola will nevertheless have to set a world record if her name is to be immortalised in the athletics annals.
jbakama@newvision.co.ug
Ends