By Thathe Msimango
Norman Dlomo, former South African 5,000m Champion, believes athletes will find it hard to qualify for this year’s World Athletics Championship and that qualifying times should be revised.
The games are scheduled to take place in Budapest, Hungary from 19 to 27 August.
The qualifying standards for most events are substantially tougher than what they were for the previous championship.
In order to make the cut in the 10,000m distance, South African athlete Precious Mashele has to clock a time of 27:10.
This means he has to break a 23-year-old national record held by legendary Hendrick Ramaala.
Mashele has a personal best of 27:55.
In the last two editions of the games no South African athlete managed to qualify in the 10,000m distance.
Dlomo, who represented the country in the 2007 World Athletics Championship, told Scrolla.Africa that the qualifying times limit small countries.
“I think the qualifying times are crazy. Most athletes will find it hard to qualify for the games,” said Dlomo, who claimed 10th position in the 2005 World Athletics Half Marathon Championship.
“How many athletes can manage to clock 2:09 in the marathon distance in our country? We only have Desmond Mokgobu and Stephen Mokoka is the one we can trust. Even in other small countries, athletes will struggle or work hard to realise a dream of representing their nations,” he said.
“I think times should be revised.”
The 46-year-old Dlomo is famously known for taking third position in the 2007 Milano Marathon with a personal best of 2:10:38.
Pictured above: Norman Dlomo
Image source: Supplied
