Harare — CRACK former Zimbabwe long-distance runner Patrick Nhauro has died.

He was 52.

Nhauro died last week at Manyame Airbase Clinic after battling with hepatitis B for a long time.

According to his brother-in-law Same Gumbojena, Nhauro had been in hospital since October last year.

"Patrick passed away last week on Saturday and he was buried on Monday at Granville Cemetery.

"He had been sick since last year in October and was suffering from hepatitis B," said Gumbojena.

Nhauro started his career in South Africa in 1975 and he came back to Zimbabwe soon after Independence and joined the Airforce of Zimbabwe.

The late Nhauro made an impact in different local road races and also competed in a number of international events.

In 1983 he won the Chibuku National Marathon Championship before retaining his title at the Premier Grand Cru 16km City Run the same year.

He went on to take part in the 42km Holiday Inn Marathon in Gaborone, Botswana, beating Botswana's world championship competitor John Motsamai and in 1984 he claimed the Piers Road 16km Race ahead of his team-mate Tommy Lazarus.

In 1986 he won the inaugural Harare Mayor's 18km Road Race and the following year he won the ProNutro 20-Miler road race.

The ProNutro 20-Miler used to be the country's premier road running event and it attracted a number of top local and international runners from neighbouring countries such as Zambia, Botswana as well as Malawi.

In the 1987 ProNutro 20-Miler, Nhauro defied the odds to win the race in 1 hour 46,24 seconds.

In fact, a determined Nhauro was just not prepared to settle for second best in that race.

Two kilometres from home he did something about it.

A then 30-year-old Air Force star shrugged aside several unsuccessful attempts to get past stubborn teenage front-runner Christopher Jonah, turned on the heat near the last watering point and sped away to win a riveting ProNutro 20-Miler which finished at Harare Sports Club.

And so strong was his finish that Nhauro did not even need to look over his shoulder as he hit the tape in a time of 1hr 46,24sec, well ahead of the tiring Jonah who came home in 1:47.08 and third-placed Army School of Sport athlete Nicholas Nyengerayi (1:48.14).

Nhauro also participated in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games in the United States and in 1986 he took part in the world cross-country championships in Switzerland.

That was before he hung up his running shoes in 1989.

His former colleague Kingston Maringe described the late Nhauro as a dedicated athlete.

"He was a talented and dedicated athlete who had a passion for the sport," he said.

During his running era, Nhauro was part of the country's great long distance athletes that included Tapfumanei "Tap Tap" Jonga, Musaope Phiri, Victor Mudewe, Naboth Mudzviti, James Mutsimba, Farayi Kamucheka, the late Esau Magwaza and Stanley Mandebele (late).

Nhauro is survived by his wife Irene, three children Talent, Diana and Lisa and two grandchildren.