Strange line of patter

Press, 11 October 1982, Page 21

Strange line of patter

NZPA Brisbane Juma Ikangaa, the tiny Tanzanian who helped make the marathon one of the great occasions of the Commonwealth Games, has a neat line of patter when it comes to press conferences. He began by saying that it was all the fault of his coach that he did not win the gold medal. He said he had been given little sprint training, and that most of his preparation for the Games had been over 21km, about half the marathon distance. His duel with Robert de Castella over the last part of the race was a series of experiments to discover how strong the Australian was.

‘‘What I discover is that he is strong,” said Ikangaa, who vowed that in future marathons he would start sprinting six km from the finish.

Then in a species of English as baffling as- it was picturesque, Ikangaa took the Australian press to task for previewing the marathon as a two-man race between de Castella and his Tanzanian compatriot, Gidemas Shahanga.

Did all this mean that he was unhappy? “Thank you for asking that question. I am very happy with my fastest time and the fastest time for Africa.

“I am very much pleased with the good technique of Robert de Castella.

“I am very much pleased with Australians for waking up for me. I am more than too happy. “Thank yon very much for that question.” At that pronouncement there was clearly nothing more to say. Ikangaa rose to his full five foot three and took his 54kg frame elsewhere. A room full of news hounds exchanged puzzled looks.