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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S long-distance runner Pardon Ndhlovu is still in the race for a spot at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, after finishing in 10th position at the Chevron Houston Marathon in the United States on Sunday.

The United States-based athlete came home in 2hours 17minutes 13seconds, which is inside the qualification time of 2 hours 18mins, in the men’s marathon at the Rio Games.

So far four athletes — Wirimai Juwawo, Cuthbert Nyasango, Gilbert Mutandiro and Ndhlovu — have attained qualification times for the Rio Games to be held from August 5 to 21.

And the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe have revealed that they are still hopeful of more athletes qualifying for the marathon event.

However, a maximum of three athletes in each section — men and women — can compete at the Games and NAAZ are going to select the best three based on their times.

Juwawo is currently leading with a time of 2hours 14minutes and 25seconds while Mutandiro and Nyasango are hoping to improve their times in other upcoming races in March.

Ndhlovu, who attained the qualification time last year during the same event when clocking 2hours 16minutes 51seconds, had hoped to improve his time going into Sunday’s race to increase his chances of winning an automatic place in Team Zimbabwe for the Rio Games.

But he could not beat his previous best time.

However, Ndhlovu is still hopeful of booking himself a ticket for the Rio Games.

“I would like to thank everyone who took sometime this morning (on Sunday) to watch me race at the Houston marathon.

“I had a good time out there despite the fact that the conditions wouldn’t allow me and most of my running buddies to reach our targeted goals for the day.

“I appreciate your support and prayers, most of you were probably screaming at your computer screen, hopefully you didn’t break anything.

“I thank God for an opportunity he gave me to start and finish the race and meet incredible people in the running community.

“The dream lives on, I will be updating you on the way forward from here,” Ndhlovu wrote on his Facebook wall soon after Sunday’s race.

NAAZ president, Tendai Tagara, said nothing much has changed in terms of Ndhlovu’s time and he still in the race for one of the three spots to represent Zimbabwe in the men’s marathon in Rio de Janeiro in August.

“Nothing much has changed for him and there are still other good athletes. However, he is still in the limelight for the Olympics. If you look at Juwawo he is still leading. Gilbert Mutandiro is in the running as well as Cuthbert Nyasango.

“We are still monitoring them, looking at the type of events they are competing in, the quality and how fast the competitions are.

“The final team will be announced in April because they still have races to compete in. Mutandiro is preparing to run in Spain and Cuthbert is likely to run in March,” said Tagara.

NAAZ are also pinning their hopes on Olympian Sharon Tavengwa, Olivia Chitate and Faith Nyasango to meet the qualification standards for the women’s competition.

For women the qualification time is 2hours 45seconds.

Ethiopia’s Gebo Burka and Biruktayit Degefa won the men and women’s races at the Houston Marathon on Sunday.

Burka ran 2hours 10minutes 54seconds to win the men’s race while in the women’s section Degefa was the first to cross the finish line in 2hours 26minutes 7seconds.