Zimpapers Logo

Ellina Mhlanga in Paris, France

LONG-distance runner Rutendo Nyahora found the going tough at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games as she failed to finish the women’s marathon yesterday.

Nyahora making her second appearance at the Olympics after receiving a universality slot from the World Athletics, pulled out close to the halfway mark. 

The South Africa-based athlete said it was just not her day as she stopped twice in the first 20km before deciding to withdraw from the race. 

“Nothing happened. It was not my day today, I don’t want to lie, it was not my day today. I tried but it was not my day.”

“It was hard to accept because there was a time when I stopped, I ran again and I stopped and I ran again because I wanted to finish even though I was going to finish last, I wanted to finish. But I don’t know what happened,” said Nyahora. 

The South Africa-based athlete will take a break to rest before she decides on her next move, having had a long season. 

“I don’t have any plan. I just want to rest. I will be fine,” said an emotional Nyahora as she broke into tears. 

Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands romped to victory in 2 hours 22 minutes 55 seconds as she crossed the finish line in an Olympic record time. 

It was a close contest with Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa as they were approaching the finish line but Hassan managed to hold on to her lead to bag the gold medal. 

Assefa was second in 2 hours 22 minutes 58 seconds. She was followed by Kenya’s Hellen Obiri, who clocked 2 hours 23 minutes 10 seconds to finish in third place. 

It was Nyahora’s second appearance at the Olympic Games after qualifying and representing the country at the Rio 2026 Olympic Games. In Rio, she finished at position 92 out of 157 athletes. 

However, the Paris Games proved to be a tough task for the seasoned runner. 

Out of the 91 athletes that participated, 80 completed the race. 

The women’s marathon was the last event for Team Zimbabwe at the Games which ended yesterday. 

Seven athletes represented the country with athletics providing four members of the team, including sprinters Tapiwanashe Makarawu and Makanakaishe Charamba, who both reached the men’s 200m final. 

Nyahora and Isaac Mpofu were the two marathon runners at the Games. 

Mpofu competed in the men’s marathon on Saturday and made the top 20 when finishing at position 19, on his first appearance at the quadrennial show-piece.

Paige van der Westhuizen and Denilson Cyprianos participated in swimming and Stephen Cox competed in rowing.