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Ellina Mhlanga
Senior Sports Reporter
WITH the World Half Marathon Championships called off, Moses Tarakinyu says he is shifting focus to other upcoming races this year as he plans for the future.
The championships were due to take place in China, in November, but the World Athletics Council decided to cancel due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Tarakinyu earned the ticket to represent the country at the World Half Marathon when he won the Tanganda half-marathon in Mutare, in June.
He crossed the finish line in a time of 1 hour 1 minute 22 seconds.
However, with the world body deciding to cancel this year’s edition last month, Tarakinyu says he has moved on and has set new targets for himself.
He is hoping to try and qualify for the 2023 World Athletics Championships in the 10 000m event.
For next year it is possible to qualify for the 10 000m event in a road race if the race is a World Athletics Label event, meeting all the appropriate technical standards.
The qualifying standard for 10 000m for men is 27 minutes 10 seconds. For women they have set the qualifying time at 30 minutes 40 seconds.
“I was disappointed because you would have planned and set your targets, and the cancellation was a setback. But its past of sport.
“I am now focusing on the Cape Town Marathon to be held in October. My target now is to try and qualify for 10 000m, for the World Championships next year since you can now qualify through a road race.
“So I will run 10km at the Cape Town marathon to assess myself and see where I am.
“If my time is close to the qualifying time, then after Cape Town I will look for another race with a fast course where I can try to qualify for 10 000m, for the World Championships,” said Tarakinyu.
The new rule also applies for the 5 000m event.
National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe director of coaching, talent identification and development Lisimati Phakamile said it’s an advantage for athletes.
“It’s an advantage for our athletes because it gives our athletes more options to qualify for the World Championships, from the road races and track. Previously you could not qualify for a track event through a road race,” said Phakamile.
For the 10 000m, 20km race walk and combined events, the qualifying period opened on January 31, 2022 and runs until July 30, 2023.
The qualification window for marathon and 35km race walk opened on December 1, 2021 and ends on May 30, 2023.
All the other disciplines, the qualification period opened on July 31, 2022 and closes on July 30, 2023.
Tarakinyu is also looking at taking part at the Soweto Marathon, where he is also eying the 10km race.
“I am also looking at Soweto Marathon. So if my times are not that close to the qualifying times for 10 000m, I am also looking at switching to marathon in the second half of the year and try to qualify for the Olympics,” said Tarakinyu.
The 2023 World Athletics Championships will be held in Budapest, Hungary.
Online Reporter