Top Zimbabwean long-distance runner and Olympic medal hopeful Cuthbert Nyasango finished eleventh at the EDP Lisbon Half-Marathon, in the Portuguese capital on Sunday.
The 30 year-old Nyanga-born athlete, who has already qualified for the London Olympic Games, was using the event as part of his preparations. Nyasango crossed the finishing line 11th in a time of one one hour four minutes 11 seconds.
The race was won for the third consecutive year by Eritrean Zersenay Tadese in a time of 59mins 34sec which was more than a minute off his world record of 58mins 23sec set in 2010.
Kenya’s John Mwangangi finished second in 1hr 43mins ahead of his compatriot Lucas Kimeli Rotich who finished the race in 1hr 1min.
According to reports from Portugal, the high temperatures during the race proved to be harder than expected and several athletes didn’t finish the race which attracted 5600 runners from 61 countries.
However, the race was good preparation for Nyasango whose qualifying time for the London Olympic Games was just outside the “A” standard qualifying criteria.
Nyasango finished 16th at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, in a season best time of two hours 15min 56sec.
The IAAF “A” qualifying entry time for the men’s Olympic marathon is 2hr 15mins.
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The Lisbon Marathon was one of number of events Nyasango was scheduled to take part in while in Europe as he intensifies his preparations for the Olympics.
Besides Nyasango six other athletes who have so far qualified for the London Olympic Games are Ngonidzashe Makusha (long jump), Kirsty Coventry (swimming), Wirimayi Juwao and Gilbert Mutandiro (marathon) and rowers Micheen Thornycroft and Jamie Fraser Mckenzie.
The Olympic Games run from July 27 to August 12 in London.
