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Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
LONG-DISTANCE runner Ngonidzashe Ncube missed the World Athletics Championships qualification after he romped home in 2 hours 15 minutes 39 seconds in the Generali Munich Marathon in Germany yesterday.
Although the Zimbabwean finished in a commendable eighth place it was far off the mark for the global meet qualification.
The qualifying time for the men’s World Championships marathon is 2 hours 9 minutes 40 seconds and for women, it’s 2 hours 28 minutes.
Ncube was looking forward to qualifying but only the top three athletes managed to run qualifying times for the World Championships to be hosted in Budapest, Hungary, next year.
Kenyan Phillimon Kiptoo Kipchumba was the first man home in 2: 07: 28 closely followed by Ethiopian Mengistu Zelalem Gezahagn in 2:07:56. Eritrean Berhane Tesfay completed the top three when he got home in 2 hours 8 minutes 10 seconds.
ZRP Athletics Club coach Cephas Pasipamire, who is also one of the middle and long-distance coaches at the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe, said he was happy that his athlete managed to finish in the top ten and would comment more on the race after talking to Ncube.
Last month, Ncube took part in the Southern Africa Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation Games (SARPCCO) in the half marathon in which he ran 1 hour 2 minutes.
Before the race, the 36-year-old was working on his speed but was a bit concerned with his endurance because he had not done long runs for some time.
Pasipamire had noted during training that on race day a lot might happen as the competition and weather conditions may differ which can be a disadvantage or an advantage.
A number of athletes are currently in camp working with NAAZ head of the national event coaches’ team for middle and long-distance runners Benson Chauke.
The athletes are scheduled to compete in the Cape Town Marathon on October 15 and 16, also chasing qualification for the marathon and 10 000 event.
Meanwhile, United kingdom based Africa Sports Legacy founder Stanley “Fresh” Madiri, who is also World Athletics Elite Coach, is one of the key speakers at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre in Bulawayo this Thursday.
He will deliver a keynote speech during Sanganai World Tourism Expo as the sports discourse gather momentum.
Zimbabwe national rugby team manager, who is also the co-founder of the Blue Thunder Rugby Franchise, Jason Maritz, will also speak on the same platform.
The Zimbabwe Olympic Committee are one of the sponsors of the event.
Online Reporter