Tanzania Marathon Record Holder Gabriel Geay Invests Millions to Boost Athletics in Manyara

In the serene Madunga hills of Babati District, Manyara in Tanzania where soft breezes sweep over the terrain and pure air moves around ceaselessly, a radiating dream has quietly sprouted.

Here is where the national marathon record holder, Gabriel Geay, has chosen to invest his achievement back in his homeland, transforming his home town into a center of optimism and greatness in sports in Tanzania.

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For years, the nation has watched its East African neighbors, Kenya and Ethiopia, dominate the international scene with the production of fabled marathoners and athletes.

While superstars like Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge have become global icons, Tanzania has been left behind with little major success. The biggest stumbling block has been a lack of up-to-date training centers.

After a period in the renowned Iten training camp of Eldoret, Kenya, widely known as the "University of Athletes," Geay realized that his own village of Madunga had comparable natural advantages.

Thus, he set out on a quest to transform his dwelling location into a hub where gifted young Tanzanians could nurture their talents and reach the international arena.

Geay's journey to opening the camp began in 2022, after being inspired by training in Kenya.

Watching Kenyan runners shine in cool, high-altitude regions with quality facilities, he saw that Tanzania equally had potential.

It was an easy choice for him: if Iten could produce champions, then Madunga could too.

He began constructing in 2024, and today the camp is nearly completed. Already, there are 15 athletes accommodated there, with capacity projected to surpass 30 in January of 2026. To Geay, it is not just a personal project, but a national mission.

The Madunga training camp is sportsperson-oriented. The camp boasts modern rooms with single beds, a comfortable recreation lounge that has a large-screen TV for following international events, and free Wi-Fi to allow for athletes to acquire advanced training techniques.

Unlike all the other facilities, the camp is completely free to its residents. The athletes do not pay money for food, accommodation, or transport. Their only responsibility is to train hard and pursue perfection.

Geay has already invested over Tsh 180 million of his marathon earnings in the camp, with overall spending likely to be over Tsh 400 million by 2026.

The sportswear company Asics has also joined the cause, donating shoes, apparel, and equipment for training not only to camp residents but also to students from the local schools.

In addition to the camp, Geay built a modern athletics stadium in Madunga. In contrast to single projects that affect only a few individuals, this stadium is a gift to the people.

The community school athletes now have a venue where they can practice in order to prepare for high-grade competitions.

The rewards are already available. In 2025, Tanzania was represented at the FEASSA games in Kakamega, Kenya, by students who were trained on the Madunga track. They returned with medals, which spurred pride within their community and showed that Madunga could indeed be a nursery of champions.

Geay has ensured his camp is not just about infrastructure, however. It's about the experience as well. He has worked with coaches and physiotherapists from Kenya's renowned Iten camp to ensure world-class guidance for talented young athletes.

One such individual is head coach John Litei, who views Geay's efforts as a gesture of giving back.

"When you have succeeded, you have to return back home to assist the next generation. That is the true definition of legacy. What Geay has done is amazing and others should take a cue from it," he said in an interview with Pulse Sports

For Geay, the camp is more than a personal legacy—it is a national mission. He envisions Madunga to be Tanzania's national training center for its national athletic team as it trains for the Olympics and the 2026 World Cross-Country Championships in America.

"I feel privileged to be a bridge for young sportsmen to fulfill their dreams. Here at Madunga, there is a new generation waiting to write a new chapter in Tanzania's history," he continued.

While the work was achieved, Geay opines that the government should give the much-needed assistance for Madunga to attain international levels.

The highway is most important in discovering and shaping new stars. The government must come in and help further develop it," he pleaded.

The camp has already begun to draw athletes from far and wide across the region.

Kenyan Edward Kono, who previously trained in Iten but now is training up for the Cologne Marathon in Germany, is impressed by what Madunga offers.

This is one of East Africa's best camps. The location is ideal and challenging in the right kind of ways. If the Tanzanians fail to notice, foreigners will most definitely.".

Hellena Daniel, a pupil at Umagi's secondary school, trained in the camp and took the bronze medal for the 800m at the 2025 FEASSA Games. "Thanks to Geay, now I feel I can make my dream of being a good sportswoman come true."

Teenager Benjamin Fernandi, living at the camp with Geay as his coach, expressed his determination.

"Here, there are no issues—the air is great, and the administration is okay. My dream is to be a top runner in the world."

Gabriel Geay's achievement on the global stage already inspires Tanzania.

In 2023, he finished second at the Boston Marathon, one of the most prestigious races in the world.

He ran a personal best of 2:03:00 in 2022, the fastest marathon ever run by a Tanzanian. In 2025, he broke the Daegu Marathon record in South Korea with a 2:05:20 finish time and set a national half-marathon record in Houston with a 59:18 finish time.

Additional information by Olaka Kennedy Lucas