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Ellina Mhlanga in Paris, France
AS marathon runners Isaac Mpofu and Rutendo Nyahora take to the road today and tomorrow at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, coach Benson Chauke says the athletes are geared for the competition.
Mpofu runs the men’s marathon this morning and Nyahora takes over tomorrow in the women’s marathon, which will be part of the final day activities.
The marathon starts at 8am.
The two arrived in Paris last Sunday.
Chauke said Tapiwanashe Makarawu and Makanakaishe Charamba reaching the men’s 200m final has been an inspiration to the distance runners.
“They are all in good spirits, mixing and mingling with the other top athletes. They are happy, they are so inspired and encouraged by the performance of the other two.
“It’s an incredible performance by the boys. So, everyone is happy, which means anything is possible,” said Chauke.
Due to their exceptional performance, Makarawu and Charamba will receive US$1 000 each from Baldmin Holdings for reaching the finals.
This is sponsored by Baldmin Holdings director Costar Takawira, who was impressed with the fight put up by the two sprinters.
About 80 runners in each category – men and women, are set to take part in the marathon races.
Chauke has been working with Mpofu for some time towards the Games, while Rutendo was in South Africa with her coach Lindsey Parry.
However, the Zimbabwean coach is in charge of the athletes here and they were also communicating with Nyahora’s team during her preparations for the Games.
“It’s also an opportunity for the athletes possibly to also qualify for next year’s World Championships, either by position or by time. So, whichever comes, it’s still an advantage to us.
“So, we are chasing two things, we are going all out to try and give our best. If our best gives us a qualifying time for the World Championships next year, well and good. If we don’t, we learn from it, we go back and we strategise and then we build up again.”
On Mpofu, the seasoned coach said having competed in several races including the Boston Marathon in April, and he has achieved, they are not worried about the field in Paris.
“It might not necessarily be the same here. There could be even faster guys, but look at the Olympics, the World Championships, there are no pacesetters, it’s anyone’s race.
“Of course, some countries will have two, three athletes running at the same time. Some could be within their strategy a pace maker within them, amongst themselves . . . But there are just three Kenyans, three Ethiopians, three Ugandans and one Zimbabwean, so we will be there with them and enjoy the race.
“We are not putting pressure on ourselves. We just go out there and just give our best.
“I hope the nation will understand that we were coming to give our all, with all the preparations that we have put into it.
“I wouldn’t want to put pressure on the athletes themselves really, but just to say when they go out there, they enjoy the race and give their all because at times when they have no pressure it’s then that you run well,” Chauke said.
Mpofu is up against the likes of Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge, who is chasing his third straight Olympic title, reigning World Championships champion Victor Kaplangat of Uganda and Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele as well as 2024 Boston Marathon winner Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia.
Mpofu’s personal best is 2 hours 6 minutes 48 seconds and is the Zimbabwe national record. His season best is 2 hours 8 minutes 17 seconds, which he ran at the Boston Marathon.
Nyahora is up for competition tomorrow.
“I am so excited that I am here for second Olympics. It shows that I have been working hard because 2016 to 2024, its eight years, it shows that I have been working hard for these past years.
“All I can say is Olympics, it’s open for everyone. I have been running Championships I was in the 2016 Olympics, I was in London Championships, I was in Doha also. I got surprised when I saw the big names stopping during the race.
“So, I am ready to run against them,” said Nyahora.
The South-Africa based runners was at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Online Reporter