Athletics: The Untold Story Of Tafanda Andrew, One Of Cameroon’s Finest

Cameroon has birthed loads of legends in different sporting fields, with of course, Athletics in the perking order.

From multiple tracks and field events, legends have been made, with Tafanda Andrew just being one of them as per achievements and historic background.

Born in 1970 in Bali Gham, he was unable to walk until 5. He Attended Government primary school in Bali Gham village up till 1983.

Tafanda started running at 9. He Loved Football in primary school but he was unfortunately too weak and quicker than the football. Anytime he got a pass, he’d break but it’d be taken off him or he gets pushed off it. He was literally running faster than the ball.

Ndifo Isaac, his primary school teacher advised him to start running. However, he wanted to play football, but just running like every other kid in primary school.

After light training, Tafanda’s school was supposed to go to Awing, considered a center for 11th February and 20th May at the time.

At at 1979, Tafanda kept winning Youth Week competitions on the track, and kept coming first, even when the youth week was transferred to Santa.

He won the 5 thousand meters and was given gifts. His parents were excited but didn’t think running will take him far. Tafanda kept playing football but his primary school coach wouldn’t let me.

In Secondary School, Nfor Stephen spotted him and asked him to continue with the running he did. Under the tutorship of Mr. Nfor, Tafanda was asked to prepare for an anniversary that was supposed to be hosted by Longla Comprehensive College. To spur him, Mr. Nfor Stephen invited Tafanda and showed him some trophies he won in Germany, while representing Cameroon.

Fast forward to the day of the anniversary of the Longla comprehensive college, he won the 10 thousand meters. The next day he added up the 5 thousand meters.

The principal of Longla comprehensive college, Mr. Abraham was coming from India and he was impressed. Having discovered his talent, all and sundry started encouraging him.

There was a provincial Osuk games and he won the 5 thousand meters admits athletes like Tata Thomas from Nso, and Lekunze, representing CCAS Bambili.

Tafanda won the 5 thousand meters and Tata Thomas came second, and then, they were chosen to represent the North West province. Andrew Tafanda still won the 5 and 10 thousand meters with a student record.

When he returned from school, the entire school was proud of him. He then moved from tracks to long distances in 1989.

In 1989, he came third in the Bamenda Hilltop race, before he started a winning spree in 1990.

It was a steady growth and a little of everything including Tafanda’s childhood, added to his professionalism. ‘When I was young, I covered 15 kilometers every single day to go to school. When I started running internationally, they asked me so many questions regarding my village and how I went to school.

‘ I explained to them that My Dad had a bicycle, my mom was a house wife and we hadn’t any car, so I had to cultivate the culture of hitting the road with my leg’.

It was preparing the then youngster for greatness, but by then, he couldn’t see. There were times he was sent home for unpaid fees, he will go home and be given the money, only to start running back to school. ‘It was a 2 hour walk,’ Tafanda emphasized on the distance.

Another reason for Tafanda’s naturally gifted ability was his surrounding.
Bali Gham, Andrew’s village where he grew up from, is surrounded by a lot of hilly villages near his. To go to neighboring Santa or Awing, he and his friends needed to climb hills. ‘On market days, I woke early to take stuff to the market. All those acted as a training for me.’ Tafanda explained.

After winning countless races when he toured the country with Guiness, Tafanda’s close friends heard an announcement that he had to go to France for a course before going to participate in a race in Switzerland back in 1991.

The news came with shock waves but it was later confirmed at the youth and sports in Bamenda, with the Yaounde branch confirming and Guiness decided to sponsor Tafanda, Tata Thomas and three others for a course in France.

When the latter returned home, he was unstoppable. He started training. He covered distances from Bamenda to Mbouda, Bamenda to Bafut, Bamenda to Mbengwi, just to name a few. He did some speed work at the Bamenda stadium as well. His training was divided into four types as explained; long, short distance, speed work and exercises.

Tafanda believes that the only way to succeed is to work really hard.

‘I trained three times a day. Some people thought it was magic to win competitions, but no. It was hard work and sacrifices. We trained without gymnasiums,’ in Tafanda’s own words.

Some international achievements of Tafanda

Championnat ,d’Afrique Marathon, CAA -1994 Abidjan. Won gold on December 4, 1994.

Championnat d’Afrique central in Chad 10 & 5 thousand meters gold on 10 of June 1994.

Douala International marathon organized by by Brasseries du Cameroun May 13 1995 – 3rd

Francophonie Games Marathon Paris (12 July 1994 as 10th)

World Athletic 25th edition of IAAF world cross country Championship in Italy (23 of March 1997) – 25

World Route Relais second edition IAAF – 16 of April 1994 Cameroon record of the 10 kilometres 29 minutes 25 seconds.

7th ICMR Switzerland mountain Race international (7 of septembre 1991) 15th

French cross country Championship in Paris March 2 1997 (20)

Soweto international marathon in South Africa (1st of December 1996) 5th

Student Osuk games in NW region Bamenda – cross country 10 & 5 thousand meters

Record holder Sonara marathon race in Limbe, Buea Cameroon.

Record holder student Osuk games – Douala, Garoua & Ngoundere in Cameroon.

Bamenda Hilltop organized by Guiness

Tafanda Andrew is the only Athlete in the North West region (Marathon, half marathon, cross country, 10 & 5 thousand meters).

National events won

1, Bamenda Hilltop race gold medal. 28 October 1990.

2. Bafoussam cross country race organized by Guiness on August 22, 1990 (gold medal).

3, Dschand cross country by Guiness 24 November 1990 (gold)

4, Semi marathon Yaounde
22 April 1990 (silver)

5, Half marathon Yaounde on April 24, 1992 – (silver)

6, Go Fast race by UCB Bamenda 21st April 1990 (gold).

7, Go Fast race Bamenda by UCB – 14 may 1990 – (gold)

8, Mbengwi cross country race by Go fast 14th may 1990 (gold)

9, Go Fast by UCB in Douala -7 of February 1992 (silver)

10, Bafut Race by UCB on the 21sr of April 1991 (gold)

11, Go Fast by UCB in Bafoussam – May 9, 1992 – (gold)

12, Go Fast Race in Yaounde by UCB – 21st March 1992, (gold)

13, Bamenda Go Fast Race by UCB – 6 June 1992 – (gold)

14, Sonara half marathon – Limbe, May 24 1992 – (gold)

Bamenda Go Fast Race – Organized by UCB on the 6 of June 1992 – (gold).

Bafut Race by UCB – (gold) April 18, 1993

FAP Guiness Cross country race in yaounde on June 5 1993, (gold)

Kribi half marathon – December 11 1993 – (gold)

Sonara half marathon in Limbe – June 27 1993 (gold)

Super Star half marathon in Yaounde October 16 1993 (gold)

Economic Race Athletic Federation in Yaounde – 12 December 1994, (gold)

Limbe Marathon May 28 1994 (gold)

Co-Hill Race by UCB – 4th of May 1996 (gold)

Douala International marathon 13th may 1995 – (bronze)

Half marathon Bamenda, organized by UCB on the 26th of January 1997 (gold)

Championnat de Cross Country Race in yaounde, on February 2nd 1997 (gold)

Limbe Marathon on the 28 of May by sonara 1994 (gold)

Other International achievements

France 15 kilometers Race Saint Thierry – 5th (1h 14 minutes, 43 seconds)

La Saint Griouzoire (silver)

Foulle de Blance 6th (34 minutes, 38 seconds)

10 kilometres de Disang (bronze; 30 minutes, 41 seconds).

15 kilometre de Rodelf (4th; 54 minutes, 5 seconds)

Foulle de Solere – 26 kilometre, (silver 1 hour 39 minutes – 58 seconds)

Semi Marathon de Montpelier France (2nd), 1 hour 15 minutes 3 seconds.

Rui de Clair (3rd)

23 kilometere Clerant race (1 hour 14 minutes and 33 seconds

Coaching experience

He has done some coaching from level 1 to level 3, and plans on doing level four. If the opportunity comes. He plans to teach younger ones to be greater than him.

Tafanda doesn’t plan to retire anytime soon, as he looks to entire the veteran categories and prolly race in the best long distance championships in New York City and Britain.