Description: (South African Marathon Runner)
Josia Thugwane, a retired long-distance runner from South Africa, gained international recognition for securing the gold medal in the marathon during the 1996 Summer Olympics. Prior to this notable achievement, he first caught the attention of the running world by triumphing in the Honolulu Marathon in 1995. Overcoming a harrowing carjacking incident just before the Olympics did not deter him, as he went on to claim a historic victory in Atlanta by narrowly outpacing his competitors. Thugwane continued to excel in marathons, adding victories in the Fukuoka Marathon in 1997 and the Nagano Olympic Memorial Marathon in 2002 to his impressive resume.