Ellina Mhlanga Harare Bureau
THE National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe have named the top three athletes to represent the country in the men’s marathon at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in August.
The three include two Olympians – Wirimai Juwawo and Cuthbert Nyasango – and United States-based Pardon Ndhlovu.
Zimbabwe had five athletes who attained the qualifying standards in the men’s section – Juwawo, Nyasango, Ndhlovu, Gilbert Mutandiro and Cephas Pasipamire.
Juwawo and Nyasango took part in the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
However, each country is supposed to field a maximum of three athletes for each section – men and women – in the marathon events at the Olympic Games.
NAAZ president, Tendai Tagara, said there a number of factors they considered in choosing the three athletes to represent the nation in Rio de Janeiro, including their qualifying times and consistence in their performances.
“First, it was based on time and the second thing was recent performances. We look at when the athlete qualified for the event.
“The third thing was head-to-head, that’s when times are closer we look at where they ran together and who was the best in that event. We also look at the marathon ran because they are categorised by IAAF. There is gold, silver and bronze.
“We also look at experience and consistence. How you have been performing in the last two years, three years.
“In terms of time, Juwawo has the best time from the rest. He ran at the Olympics and he has been doing well. He qualified last year in September.
“Cuthbert, Mutandiro and Pasipamire had close times, but if you look at Cuthbert, head-to-head, he is ahead of Pasipamire and Mutandiro. He has the experience.
“Pardon versus Pasipamire and Mutandiro, Pardon has two qualifying times in the same qualifying period since January 2015 up to now. Whereas Mutandiro ran last year in March and Pasipamire ran in April this year but the times were not clear from the results. So Pardon is ahead,” Tagara said.
Tagara said they are hoping the athletes will be stepping up their preparations now that they have announced the three going for the Games.
“The athletes are very focused but now that we have named the team we would push them to train together. Pardon is working with his coach in the United States. He will be making his first appearance at the Olympic Games.
“Cuthbert was in the top 10 in London, so he has the experience. Juwawo, in terms of speed, he is good, so if they work together, they are very strong candidates.
“An Olympic marathon is different from any other marathon where you are running for time. This is all about thinking, endurance and calculation on how you are going to position yourself because it’s about a medal,” said Tagara.
The three will be joined by Rutendo Nyahora, who qualified for the women’s marathon.
Tagara said with less than two months to go before the Olympic Games start they no longer expect anyone else to qualify for marathon since they need at least three months to recover and prepare.
“For Rutendo it’s automatic because she is the only female that has qualified. And because of time we don’t expect anyone to qualify for the Olympics. We don’t want to just take people for the sake of going. So for the women now we are encouraging them to run for the 2017 World Championships,” said Tagara.
Juwawo, who finished on position 15 at the London Games, said the qualification of more athletes in the men’s section is a good sign for athletics in Zimbabwe.
“Since we started competing in the Olympics we have never had a full team (for marathon), so this is something great for us. I think we are improving as a country. And it’s encouraging because we will also encourage each other going into the Games,” said Juwawo.
The Rio Games are scheduled for August 5 to 21.