# Alphonce Simbu

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{{short description|Tanzanian long-distance runner}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name           = Alphonce Felix Simbu
| image          = 2017 London Marathon - Alphonce Simbu (cropped).jpg
| caption        = Simbu at the 2017 London Marathon
| nationality    = Tanzanian
| birth_date     = {{birth date and age|1992|2|14|df=yes}}
| birth_place    = 
| death_date     = 
| death_place    = 
| height         = 
| weight         = 55kg
| country        = Tanzania
| sport          = [Track and field](/source/Track_and_field)
| event          = [Marathon](/source/Marathon)
| collegeteam    = 
| club           = 
| team           = 
| turnedpro      = 
| coach          = 
| retired        = 
| coaching       = 
| worlds         = 
| regionals      = 
| nationals      = 
| olympics       = 
| highestranking = 
| pb             = 2:02:47
| show-medals    = yes
| medaltemplates = 
{{MedalSport|Men's [athletics](/source/Sport_of_athletics)}}
{{MedalCountry|{{TAN}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[World Championships](/source/IAAF_World_Championships_in_Athletics)}}
{{MedalGold|[2025 Tokyo](/source/2025_World_Athletics_Championships)|[Marathon](/source/2025_World_Athletics_Championships_%E2%80%93_Men's_marathon)}}
{{MedalBronze|[2017 London](/source/2017_World_Championships_in_Athletics)|[Marathon](/source/2017_World_Championships_in_Athletics_%E2%80%93_Men's_marathon)}}
{{ medal | Comp | [World Marathon Majors](/source/World_Marathon_Majors) }}
{{ medal | S    |[2025 Boston](/source/2025_Boston_Marathon)|[Marathon](/source/2025_Boston_Marathon)}}
{{ medal | S    |[2026 Boston](/source/2026_Boston_Marathon)|[Marathon](/source/2026_Boston_Marathon)}}
{{MedalCompetition|[Commonwealth Games](/source/Commonwealth_Games)}}
{{MedalSilver|[2022 Birmingham](/source/2022_Commonwealth_Games)|[Marathon](/source/Athletics_at_the_2022_Commonwealth_Games_%E2%80%93_Men's_marathon)}}
}}
'''Alphonce Felix Simbu''' (born 14 February 1992) is a Tanzanian [long-distance runner](/source/long-distance_runner) who specialises in the [marathon](/source/marathon).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/tanzania/alphonce-felix-simbu-287379 |title=Alphonce Felix Simbu |publisher=IAAF |date=22 August 2015| accessdate=22 August 2015}}</ref>
He is the reigning [World Champion in marathon](/source/Marathons_at_the_World_Athletics_Championships), having won the title at the [2025 World Athletics Championships](/source/2025_World_Athletics_Championships), thus becoming the first Tanzanian athlete to win a gold medal at the [World Championships](/source/World_Athletics_Championships) or the [Olympics](/source/Athletics_at_the_Summer_Olympics).<ref> {{cite web |title=Simbu takes Tanzania's first global title with marathon victory in Tokyo |url=https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-championships/tokyo25/news/report/world-championships-tokyo-25-report-mens-marathon |website=World Athletics.org |access-date=15 September 2025}}</ref>

==Career==
Simbu competed in the [marathon event](/source/2015_World_Championships_in_Athletics_%E2%80%93_Men's_marathon) at the [2015 World Championships in Athletics](/source/2015_World_Championships_in_Athletics) in Beijing, China.

Simbu competed for Tanzania at the [2016 Summer Olympics](/source/2016_Summer_Olympics) in the [men's marathon](/source/Athletics_at_the_2016_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men's_marathon). He finished 5th with a time of 2:11.15.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rio2016.com/en/athletics-standings-at-mens-marathon |title=Rio 2016 |website=Rio 2016 |access-date=24 August 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160908024135/https://www.rio2016.com/en/athletics-standings-at-mens-marathon |archive-date= 8 September 2016 |df= }}</ref> He was the flag bearer for Tanzania during the closing ceremony.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.olympic.org/news/the-flagbearers-for-the-rio-2016-closing-ceremony|title=The Flagbearers for the Rio 2016 Closing Ceremony|date=21 August 2016|access-date=24 August 2016}}</ref>

Simbu won the 14th edition of the [Mumbai Marathon](/source/Mumbai_Marathon) on 15 January 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report-mumbai-marathon-simbu-sizzles-2292901|title=Simbu sizzles: Tanzanian overcomes stiff challenge from second-placed Kipkorir to win elite full marathon - Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis|date=16 January 2017|publisher=|accessdate=16 January 2017}}</ref> The same year he won the bronze medal at the 2017 World Athletics Championships Marathon with a time of 2:09:51.

In 2019, Simbu competed in the [men's marathon](/source/2019_World_Athletics_Championships_%E2%80%93_Men's_marathon) at the [2019 World Athletics Championships](/source/2019_World_Athletics_Championships) held in Doha, Qatar.<ref name="men_marathon_results_world_championships_2019">{{cite web|url=https://media.aws.iaaf.org/competitiondocuments/pdf/6033/AT-MAR-M-f----.RS6.pdf|title=Marathon Men − Final − Results|publisher=[IAAF](/source/International_Association_of_Athletics_Federations)|date=5 October 2019|accessdate=6 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200627234043/https://media.aws.iaaf.org/competitiondocuments/pdf/6033/AT-MAR-M-f----.RS6.pdf|archive-date=27 June 2020}}</ref> He finished in 16th place.<ref name="men_marathon_results_world_championships_2019"/>

In June 2021, Simbu qualified to represent Tanzania at the [2020 Summer Olympics](/source/2020_Summer_Olympics) where he secured 7th place with a time of 2:11:35.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Only three athletes to represent Tanzania at Tokyo Olympic games|url=https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/tanzania/news/sports/only-three-athletes-to-represent-tanzania-at-tokyo-olympic-games-3419354|access-date=20 June 2021|website=The Citizen|language=en}}</ref>

Simbu won a silver medal at the [2022 Commonwealth Games](/source/2022_Commonwealth_Games) in the [men's marathon](/source/Athletics_at_the_2022_Commonwealth_Games_%E2%80%93_Men's_marathon) event.<ref>{{cite web |title=Marathon - Men's Marathon |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/commonwealth-games/62360812 |website=BBC Sport |access-date=30 July 2022}}</ref>

In December 2024, Simbu finished 4th in Valencia Marathon and set his personal best at 2:04:38.<ref>[http://www.iaaf.org/competitions/competitiondownload/competition?filename=AT-MAR-M-f----.RS6.pdf&path=%5Cpdf%5C4875%5C&urlslug=marathon-Official%20Results&updatedOn=08%2F22%2F2015%2002%3A43%3A14 Final Results]</ref>

Simbu finished second in the [2025 Boston Marathon](/source/2025_Boston_Marathon), in a time of 2:05:04.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2025/04/21/boston-marathon-2025-updates-results-tracking-highlights/83188287007/ |title=Boston Marathon 2025 live: Race updates, highlights, results of 129th running |first=Tom |last=Schad |website=USA Today |date=April 21, 2025 |accessdate=April 21, 2025}}</ref>

In 2025, Simbu became the first Tanzanian to win a gold medal in a world marathon championship after finishing first in the [World Championships Marathon](/source/2025_World_Athletics_Championships_%E2%80%93_Men's_marathon) in Japan with a photo-finish win.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 September 2025 |title=First-ever Tanzanian gold as Simbu dips past Petros in world marathon |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250915-first-ever-tanzanian-gold-as-simbu-dips-past-petros-in-world-marathon |access-date=15 September 2025 |website=France 24 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Simbu again finished second in the [2026 Boston Marathon](/source/2026_Boston_Marathon), in a time of 2:02:47.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{sisterlinks
| d = Q20988443
| c = Category:Alphonce Simbu
| n = no
| b = no
| v = no
| voy = no
| m = no
| mw = no
| s = no
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}}

* {{sports links}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Footer World Champions Marathon Men}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simbu, Alphonce Felix}}
Category:1992 births
Category:Living people
Category:Tanzanian men long-distance runners
Category:Tanzanian men marathon runners
Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for Tanzania
Category:Olympic athletes for Tanzania
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:World Athletics Championships medalists
Category:World Athletics Championships winners
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2022 Commonwealth Games
Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Tanzania
Category:21st-century Tanzanian people
Category:Medallists at the 2022 Commonwealth Games
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2024 Summer Olympics
Category:21st-century Tanzanian sportsmen
Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists in athletics

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Alphonce Simbu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphonce_Simbu) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphonce_Simbu?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.