adminAugustine Hwata Senior Sports Reporter
AFTER setting the national record in marathon, Cuthbert Nyasango says his aim is to shed more time off the mark to brighten his chances of winning a medal at the Olympic Games in Brazil in 2016. Nyasango returned home yesterday after coming third in the Volkswagen Prague International Marathon on Sunday.
The athlete’s time of 2 hours 09 min and 52s is now the new Zimbabwe record after eclipsing the previous mark of 2:10: 57 set by Tendai Chimusasa in 1998 in Hamburg, Germany.
Kenyan athletes Patrick Terer won the Volkswagen Prague International Marathon in 2:08:07 while his compatriot Evans Chebet was nine seconds adrift as he took the silver medal.
Two other Kenyans took fourth and fifth positions.
Nyasango said Chimusasa’s record was always in his sights.
“It has been my aim to break the national record in marathon and I am glad that I finally managed to do that,” said Nyasango.
“But I will not be content just because I have broken the national record. I think I have to keep on working harder and run faster times.”
Nyasango, who is married to long distance runner Faith, started his career as middle distance runner in Kuwadzana and was the junior and youth champion in the 5,000m and 10km before he shifted to the longer routes.
“It is great to break the record because Tendai was my idol. After the Olympics, I had injury problems for more than a year, so this was a sort of comeback for me,” said Nyasango.
His personal best had been the 2:12:08 he set at the London Olympics and he now hopes to do even better at the World Championships in China next year.
“I have to be competitive and faster to match the best athletes in the world. I have higher goals and that can only be achieved if I run faster and prepare well,” he said.
Nyasango said the Kenyans, who dominate the marathons around the world, run between 2:05:00 and 2:06:00 and the crack Zimbabwean was happy to push them all the way in Prague on Sunday.
“We started the event well and after about 10km, our bunch separated. We continued running like that and then the other athletes also dropped after 25km and I remained with the pack.
“I began to grow in confidence but from 35kms the race was a little tough because of the headwind.
“I could have done better but for now I am happy because I proved that I was a competitive athlete,” said Nyasango.
Nyasango’s coach and manager Benson Chauke yesterday challenged companies to come on board and partner the athlete as he prepares for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe president Tendai Tagara has since hailed Nyasango’s sensational achievement in Prague.
Online Reporter