Namibian long-distance runners Rainhold Tomas, Simon Paulus, Jeremia Shaliaxwe and Paulus Iyambo will rub shoulders with the best athletes on the continent for Olympic qualification on Sunday in the Durban International Marathon in South Africa.
The athletes, competing under the Nedbank Running Club banner, will take the 42kilometre race, while there is also a line-up of runners in the 10km. This year’s event, organised by the Phantane Athletics Club, will incorporate the 2024 Athletics South Africa national 42.2 km championships, and will also be an official Comrades and Two Oceans qualifier.
Tomas represented the country at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics as well as at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and has set sights, once again, on donning the national colours on a global stage.
He finished 41st overall in Tokyo and 13th at the Commonwealth Games.
The runner, who competes under the Namibia Correctional Service banner locally, recently ran a time of 01:05:59 while competing at the Kazungula Bridge Half-Marathon in Kazungula, Botswana, where he finished fifth.
The long-distance runner has a personal best time of 02:02:21 which he ran in Siena, Italy in 2021. He said he has prepared well, and is looking forward to representing his country.
“So far, training is going well, and I am looking forward to the competition. I know it’s not going to be an easy event, but I am going to give it my best shot to run an Olympic qualifying time,” he said.
Tomas added that he is currently injury-free.
Meanwhile, Paulus, who will be making his debut as a marathon runner this weekend, said he has been training hard, and can’t wait to compete in his first marathon.
“I have been training for three months, and I feel ready to compete. I will try to run an Olympic qualifying time so I can represent my country in Paris,” he enthused.
Paulus has a personal best time of 01:02:51 clocked while competing at the Nelson Mandela Bay Half-Marathon in Gqeberha, SA in 2022. He is eager to challenge himself.
“I usually compete in short-distance track events, and then the half-marathon.
But my coach told me to try the full marathon which I believe I can do, and hope to do with a better personal best time,” he said.
The team departs for Durban today.
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games will see a total of 1 810 athletes from across the world competing for honours.
If any of the Namibian male runners are to realise their dream of representing the country at this global event, they will have to at least clock a time of 02:08:10 on Sunday, which is the minimum qualifying standard for male athletes while the women must run at least 02:26:50 to qualify.