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Ellina Mhlanga Senior Sports Reporter

LONG-DISTANCE runner Munyaradzi Jari is aiming to improve his personal best time when he competes in the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon on October 17 in South Africa.

After the disappointment of missing out on the Olympics, Jari is scheduled to return onto the road for the marathon expected to feature athletes from across the globe.

Some of the athletes will be out chasing qualifying times for next year’s World Athletics Championships to be staged in the United States.

“I am expecting to leave this coming Wednesday for South Africa. We had prepared for a camp in South Africa, unfortunately things did not go as planned due to some Covid-19 rules in South Africa. So I have been training here.

“My aim is just to run my personal best. If I run 2.11.30, the qualifying time (for the World Championships) I will be happy,” said Jari.

His personal best time is 2 hours 12 minutes 26 seconds.

Despite failing to travel to South Africa for a training camp, Jari believes he has done his best to prepare for the marathon.

“Of course the camp would have helped in terms of assistance with the training programme but I think I am managing and sometimes I train with the other guys from work.

“It’s now close to five months since my last race, so I have recovered. I am just hoping everything works out for the best,” said Jari.