Ellina Mhlanga
Zimpapers Sports Hub
DISTANCE runner Godwin Katakura says he is targeting to set a new personal best when he lines up for the TCS Amsterdam Marathon in the Netherlands this weekend.
The race is scheduled for Sunday.
For Katakura it is his second major race this year after competing at the ADAC Marathon Hannover in April.
He clocked 2 hours 8 minutes 47 seconds, earning himself a second-place finish at the race.
As he braces for the TCS Amsterdam Marathon, Katakura is aiming to improve his time once again despite some hiccups during his preparations due to injuries.
“My training for Amsterdam, at first everything was okay, everything was going according to plan.
“But I could not continuously follow my programme as per the initial plan because of some injuries.
“I picked some injuries along the way which affected my preparation.
“Even now I am not 100 percent there but it’s now manageable, I am feeling better because I can now train.
“So, for Amsterdam I am going but I am just targeting a PB. If I can get a PB then I will be okay with that based on the preparations that I have done. The preparation didn’t go as I had planned and expected,” Katakura said.
The Cadence Athletics Club runner is one of the few athletes the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe are pinning their hopes to qualify for men’s marathon for next year’s World Athletics Championships.
Katakura currently holds the third fastest time in Zimbabwe behind national record holder Isaac Mpofu and Moses Tarakinyu, who recently clocked 2 hours 8 minutes 26 seconds.
Mpofu holds the national record of 2 hours 6 minutes 48 seconds.
And they are also among the group expected to try and qualify for the world meet to take place in Beijing, China in 2027.
