Own Correspondent MARATHON runner Sharon Tavengwa carries the nation’s medal hopes in her debut Olympic appearance at the 2012 London Olympic Games today.Athletes will complete a first loop of 2,2 miles (3,571 kilometers), which takes them to the River Thames, south to the Houses of Parliament, and back up to The Mall past Buckingham Palace. They will then run back to the river, and then head east, towards the City of London and beyond to the Tower of London, in an eight-mile (12,875km) loop that is repeated three times to make up the marathon distance of 26,2 miles (42,195km). Tavengwa, and fellow marathon runners, Cuthbert Nyasango and Wirimayi Zhuwawo are the only medal hopeful’s after Kirsty Coventry failed to win any medal. Coventry, a seven time Olympic medalist could only finish on position six in the 200m back-stroke final on Friday night. Earlier the 28-year-old Coventry had finished sixth in the final of the 200m individual medley and seventh in the 100m backstroke. Another Zimbabwean rower Micheen Thorncroft finished fourth in the quarter-finals and did not qualify for the semi-finals. The other two of the seven Zimbabwe representatives, Juwawo and Nyasango will this morning leave for the Olympic Games. The two did not travel with the rest of the team as they wanted to fine-tune their preparations at home where they felt there was good terrain suitable for marathon practices. Unlike Nyasango, Juwawo will be making his debut at the biggest global sporting showcase and much is expected from the two as they both qualified for the event through A Standards.
