ZIMBABWE’S marathon runners found the going tough on the opening day of the 15th IAAF World Championships in Beijing yesterday with all three local runners failing to finish inside the top 10.
Daniel Nhakaniso
With the strong field of runners struggling to cope with the hot and humid conditions, national marathon record holder and Olympian Cuthbert Nyasango was the first local runner to cross the finish line in position 23.
Nyasango, who put up a solid performance at the London Olympic Games, posted a season best time of two hours 22 minutes 15 seconds ahead of Cephas Pasipamire who finished 30th in two hours 25 minutes five seconds.
His time however fell outside the Rio Olympic Games qualifying standard of two hours 17 minutes zero seconds.
Gilbert Mutandiro settled for position 37 in two hours 31 minutes 35 seconds out of 42 athletes who completed the race where 26 runners did not finish due to the unforgiving conditions.
According to reports from Beijing, the race began early with the temperature already hot and it only soared from there, with the thermometer reading 28 degrees Celsius (83 degrees Fahrenheit) by the time the racers finished.
Ghirmay Ghebreslassie from Eritrea beat the scorching morning sun and a late chase by Ethiopia’s Yemane Tsegay for a shock victory in the men’s marathon.
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The 19-year-old clocked two hours, 12 minutes and 27 seconds for his first world championship title, beating Tsegay into second place. Munyo Solomon Mutai of Uganda won bronze in two hours 13 minutes and 29 seconds.
The mighty Kenyan marathoners put on an uncharacteristically poor display, with the current world-record holder Dennis Kimetto and his highly rated compatriot Wilson Kipsang failing to finish the race.
Meanwhile, US-based Zimbabwean sprinter Tatenda Tsumba will take part in the heats of the men’s 200m on Tuesday, while female marathon runner Olivia Chitate will take part in the heats of the women’s 5 000m race on Thursday.
The championships are serving as qualifiers for the Olympic Games to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil next year.
