Kenneth Mungara wins the title but tragedy follows, Scotiabank Waterfront Toronto Marathon
While running in the Scotiabank Waterfront Toronto Marathon, Kenneth Mungara, the veteran Kenyan runner who remained undeterred by a cool and breezy morning, bagged the event title for hitting the finishing line in two hours, nine minutes, and fifty one
seconds.
The traditional runner from Ethiopia, Shami Dawit claimed second position in the heated event.
The success acquired in Canada was big. However, whether it will help the 38-year old in lining up for the next year’s London Olympics is hard to say as yet.
The running veteran hails from a country which is home to innumerable great runners and where running two hours and ten minutes is just an average finish.
On top of that, two of the three places for the country have already been claimed by fellow runners Patrick Makau, with a personal best of two hours, three minutes and thirty eight seconds, and Abel Kirui who marked a finish of two hours, seven minutes and
thirty eight seconds in Daegu, South Korea.
Additionally, despite being slow and finishing only for third and fourth positions at the Toronto Marathon, Reid Coolsaet and Eric Gillis, will see themselves lining up for the mega athletics event in London.
The interesting part of the race in Toronto was the hundred year old runner, Fauja Singh’s presence in the race.
The Indian born British athlete, fond of running, appeared for his eighth marathon. While running in a yellow turban, the elderly hit the finishing line in eight hours, twenty five minutes and eighteen seconds.
The irony was that even the 100-year-old athlete was hopeful of visiting London Olympics in 2012, albeit as a torch bearer.
The reason for both Coolsaet and Gillis making to the big event was their up to the mark finish in the event.
As per the conditions laid by the Canadian athletics body, the runners were required to finish the job in no later than two hours, eleven minutes and twenty nine seconds.
Aiming for the target, Coolsaet displayed his personal best of two hours, ten minutes and fifty five seconds, while Gill landed only a second behind the targeted time. He clocked two hours, eleven minuets and twenty eight seconds in the race.
Whether Kenya’s Kenneth Mungara will appear in the grand event or not is yet to be revealed.
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