Chronicle Editor
Harare Bureau
LONG-DISTANCE runner Ngonidzashe Ncube will have to wait a bit longer to make his second appearance at the World Athletics Championships after he missed the qualifying time during the Enschede Marathon in the Netherlands yesterday.
Ncube finished the race on position 7, in 2 hours 11 minutes 46 seconds.
The qualifying time for men for the World Championships is 2 hours 11 minutes 30 seconds. Ncube is one of the targeted athletes for marathon and had hoped to run the qualifying time yesterday.
He expressed his disappointment after the race. “The race was okay.
“I am disappointed that I did not run the qualifying time. Most of the race was okay but the wind affected me and I was really disappointed with the last 2km.
“I didn’t get enough rest since I arrived in the Netherlands. I was travelling alone, I had to attend the technical meeting and I needed to familiarise with the course before the race. So I was the athlete, coach and manager and it makes things difficult,” said Ncube.
Ncube said they still have to decide on his next move with his coach and manager.
“It’s not that easy to run 2.11 and finish seventh considering the elite field for this race… I have to plan with the coach and my manager and decide what’s next,” said Ncube.
The top 10 was dominated by the Kenyans with the pair of Julius Tuwei and Enock Onchari coming first and second.
Tuwei won the race in 2 hours 7 minutes 43 seconds and Onchari was second in a time of 2 hours 7 minutes 52 seconds.
Ethiopia’s Tadu Abate settled for third place in 2 hours 7 minutes 59 seconds.
Kenya’s Josphat Kiprotich was fourth in 2 hours 9 minutes 8 seconds while his fellow countrymen Kenneth Cheserek came fifth in 2 hours 10 minutes 23 seconds.
Online Reporter