Admire Muzopambwa’s story proves that true potential does not have an expiration date. His ascent from a Johannesburg kitchen to the elite peaks of the UTMB World Series at age 35 shatters every stereotype of the “aging” athlete.
His journey is not only about trail running; it is a powerful reminder that limits only exist if we stop challenging them.
Admire was born in Harare and attended Belvedere Primary School. At a young age, he played a variety of sports including soccer and tennis, but running was never his focus.
For high school, he moved to his rural home in Chipinge, where he enrolled at Ngaone High School. Initially, he was more interested in volleyball and avoided running because he feared being laughed at for finishing last. It was only in Form 3 that he began to take running seriously.
After completing school, running took a back seat as he entered the workforce. He got his first job at Clearwater Tea Estate in Chipinge, working as a boiler feeder.
He spent two years there before moving to Harare to work for his grandmother, who ran a cake-baking business, where he handled decoration and icing.
Admire continued moving between Harare and Chipinge in search of better opportunities while supporting a young family. In 2012, he made a life-changing decision to move to South Africa.
With help from his sister, who sent him bus fare, he crossed the Limpopo on 21 July 2012 and settled in Parktown North, Johannesburg.
In 2013, while working as a private chef, his life took a new direction. His employer, a keen cyclist, introduced him to running.
“My boss said to me, ‘Admire, if I give you running gear and buy your shoes, would you run with me in the morning? I just want someone for company,’” Admire recalls. “At that time, it was very hard for me because we would run like a kilometre and I would be panting.”
Since transitioning to trail running, Admire has built an impressive résumé. His achievements include a victory at Ultra-Trail Drakensberg (GCU65), as well as wins at AlUla (100km) and Pass2Pass (100km) in 2025.
He also delivered a strong performance at Mountain Ultra Trail (170km), finishing second. His sights are now firmly set on Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, the flagship race of the UTMB World Series.
Admire is currently under the management of Foolhardy, a leading sports management company that specialises in high-performance action sports partnerships, connecting athletes, brands, and rights holders to create impactful and authentic campaigns.
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