Filbert Bayi's legacy in middle-distance running is assured as his blistering pace energized the sport in the 1970s, leading to his becoming the first Black man to hold the mile and 1500m world records. He earned the first Olympic medal ever for Tanzania with his silver medal in the 3000m steeplechase at the 1980 Olympics. With his wife Anna, he established Filbert Bayi Schools and the Filbert Bayi Foundation in Kibaha, Tanzania, which for more than twenty years has represented excellence by educating thousands of students and creating an even larger legacy off the track.

Myles Schrag is co-founder of Soulstice Publishing and author of eight books. He holds a master's degree in kinesiology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has helped more than 200 books reach publication as either an acquisitions editor, developmental editor, publisher, or manuscript broker.

Foreword writer Segun Odegbami is a former Nigerian football (soccer) star who is a well-known commentator on sports, politics, and media across Africa. Nicknamed "Mathematical" for his precise passing for 14 years in the Nigerian professional league as well as for his engineering degree, Odegbami helped his country to its first Africa Cup of Nations title. He is head of the Sports Diplomacy Desk for the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and host of the Sports Parliament television show.