America’s long-distance runner, Sidney Gidabuday loses athletic father in hit-and-run road accident in Tanzania
By Marc Nkwame
The Father of America’s long-distance runner, Sidney Gidabuday, is dead; having been killed in a tragic midnight hit and run road accident which occurred in Northern Tanzania, East Africa.
Wilhelm Francis Gidabuday, who happens to be a long-distance runner himself, having also held various national athletics positions in Tanzania, was reportedly knocked down by an unknown vehicle, at Maroroni, Maji-ya-Chai, near the Usa-River Township along the Moshi-Arusha highway.
He was living in Maji-ya-Chai ward of Meru District in Arusha Region. In fact he died as he was crossing the road heading back home after a night out with friends.
On the other hand, Sidney Gidabuday, the son of Wilhelm, apparently may not even make it in time to the burial mass scheduled on Saturday the 14th of September 2024.
The ace athlete Gidabuday, who died aged 48, gets buried at his home village of Endamang,’ in the Nangwa Ward, along the slopes of Mount Hanang, in Manyara Region.
Until his untimely death, Wilhelm Gidabuday was heading the Gidabuday Sports Tourism Foundation (GSTF) which was operating from Arusha City in Northern Tanzania.
Wilhelm F. Gidabuday was the secretary of the special committee for reviewing the constitution of the Tanzania National Athletics Federation (Riadha Tanzania) or simply RT.
Previously, Gidabuday, an international athlete, who once lived in the United States, served as the Secretary General of the Federation of the National Athletics Associations of Tanzania (RT).
Wilhelm Gidabuday was also working on a project of converting a section of Mount Kilimanjaro to become an acclimatization zone and preparatory base for athletics planning to participate in Olympic Games.
During his time in the United States, Wilhelm Gidabuday and his wife Eva raised Sydney Gidabuday who was born to the couple on August 21, 1996, in Orange, California.
Sidney grew to become an American distance runner who runs for professional running team Roots Running Project, competing in events ranging from 3000 meters to the 21 kilometres’ half-marathon.
Sidney Gidabuday has also been donating various types of sporting gear to budding athletes in Tanzania, through his parents’ foundation.