Nairobi — Kenyan blind athlete Francis Thuo last Sunday won the World Half Marathon record when he clocked 1:10.01 in the Graz Half Marathon in Austria.

Thuo told the Nation on Wednesday that his achievement in Austria would boost his credentials as he prepares for the forthcoming Standard Chartered Nairobi marathon on October 28.

"I am practicing hard for the marathon because I know I have to win to improve my profile.

"I have won several races including gold medals for Kenya in international competitions. Now I am training hard to gain more recognition as I aim to give blind athletes their pride of place in the country and abroad," said Thuo yesterday on return from Austria. Thuo is Henry Wanyoike's biggest challenger and he hopes to make a name for himself just like Wanyoike who is now a goodwill ambassador for the Standard Chartered Marathon.

Hamburg Marathon

Wanyoike also holds the World Marathon record for blind athletes. He set the record of 2:31:31 at the Hamburg Marathon in 2005.

Thuo beat Wanyoike in the World Paralympics 5000m and 10,000m championships in Holland in 2006. Wanyoike holds the world record in both events. In the Nairobi Marathon, Thuo said he will run in the 21 kilometer race.

The 32-year-old Thuo fell blind in 1983 after suffering a serious backbone malaria.

He started running in 1999 aided by his brother James Kuria and Paul Njoroge. In 2004 during the Olympic games in Athens, Greece, he won bronze in the 5,000m and also won the 2005 Boston Marathon at a time of 2:59.10 seconds.

Recently in Algiers, Algeria All Africa Games, Thuo finished second behind Wanyoike in the 5,000m and was third in the 1,500m.

"My mission is to break the marathon record currently held by Wanyoike," he said.