Tokyo, Japan — Zimbabwe long and middle-distance coach Benson Chauke has paid glowing tribute to top runner Isacc Mpofu after the veteran ran a Season Best time to secure a top-10 finish in the men's marathon at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, yesterday.
Mpofu, competing in his fourth World Championships since making his bow at the 2019 meet in Doha, Qatar, clocked 2 hours 10 minutes and 46 seconds to finish in creditable 10th place.
The gruelling race, run in the hot and humid conditions prevailing in Tokyo, was won by Tanzania's Alphonce Felix Simbu off a photo-finish in which he just edged German Amanal Petros by a fraction of a second, with both men clocking 2:09:48.
Italian Illiass Aouani came third in 2:09:53 while 43 seconds separated Mpofu and the man, who came fourth -- Haimro Alame -- of Israel, who registered 2:10:03.
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Although he ran below his best ever time of 2:06: 47, which remains a national record that he set in Valencia, Spain in December 2022, Mpofu and his coach Chauke were happy with how the Zimbabwe Republic Police officer acquitted himself in a tightly contested race, which could have gone to either of its top 10 finishers.
Such were the tough conditions that 22 of the 88 men who started the race could not finish the marathon.
"It was not easy out there but I am happy and I think I did my best under the conditions," Mpofu said.
His compatriot, Tendai Zimuto, struggled on his World Championships debut but did well to ensure he lasted the 42 km race, finishing in 61st place and clocking 2:28:10, albeit with a limp in the final stages.
Earlier on Sunday, Zimbabwe's sole female representative Fortunate Chidzivo, featuring in her third Championships marathon, had placed 53rd in a time of 2:51:24 in the Women's competition.
In that event, the sole final of the second morning session at the Japan National stadium, Kenya's Peres Jepchirchir produced a lung-busting final 100m sprint to win a dramatic race.
Jepchirchir edged Ethiopa's Tigst Assefa for gold by just two seconds after an epic tussle.
The pair were neck-and-neck coming into the final kilometre of a yet another gruelling marathon run in hot and humid weather.
Former world record holder Assefa chanced her arm as she bolted down the back straight.
But Jepchirchir dug deep to battle back past her stuttering Ethiopian rival for a breathless gold. Jepchirchir, Olympic champion at the same venue in the Covid-delayed 2021 Olympics, timed 2:24:43 for victory.
Chauke was happy with what he saw from his athletes and said the performances of the runners in Tokyo, were a culmination of the intense hard work, dedication and determination which Chidzivo, Mpofu and Zimuto had put in ahead of their trip to Japan.
He reserved special praise for Mpofu, whom he also described as a good teacher and motivator for Zimuto.
"Isaac Mpfu, the gentleman from Tinde High School in Binga, has proved that if you are focused, resilient, never giving up and working hard, you will get rewards that you like.
"A top 10 finish is not his first, he achieved that in Oregon. He came into camp in May to prepare for the championships, coming from an injury and we could not really start hard with him.
"We were taking it easy on a day-by-day basis before giving him the load that is required for marathons and in the process, we used certain races to test his fitness and certain aspects of his preparations like strength, speed and endurance.
"We went to Tanganda, he came fifth but for us we were happy and from there he went to Victoria Falls marathon and again there were things that we wanted to see from a competition atmosphere.
"Thereafter we went to Kariba and from Kariba we came here and we knew that he was on the right track.
"I am happy for him...I am happy for the result. I think 2028 LA (Olympics Games qualification) is loading".
Chauke also saluted Mpofu for his patriotism.
"As a nation when you have one person who forgoes all other races where he could have made money to come and represent the country, I think we need to acknowledge that kind of patriotism," added Chauke.
He also felt that Zimbabwe National Army runner Zimuto can only become a better athlete after his Tokyo experience.
"It was his debut at this level of competition. He has gone to Europe and ran some races where he registered competitive times but the World Champs are a different game altogether. Countries bring their best and just a look at the finish line where all the top 10 were lumped together and separated by seconds shows how tough it was.
"Some top known long-distance runners from countries like Ethiopia did not finish and for him to complete the marathon in such tough conditions, I think he did well and he will go far.
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"He has taken a lot of lessons from Isaac, he is a good learner and a good listener and we can only hope that with time he can build on this.
"We will go back and look at all areas and learn from our mistakes but I want to acknowledge that he gave it his all," Chauke said.
There was no immediate joy on debut too for two other members of Team Zimbabwe - Ashley Miller and Vimbai Maisvorewa - who competed in the Women's 400 metres and 400m hurdles respectively.
Maisvorewa clocked 55:28 to finish seventh in her 400m heat on Sunday and could not make the semi-finals.
Yesterday morning it was Miller's turn to take her bow at the Championships.
Miller, competing in Heat 4 of the Women's 400m hurdles, also came unstuck, placing eighth in the competition in 56:35 and her time was placed 37th overall in an event in which, only the top four from each Heat qualified for the semi-finals.
"It was not what I expected but I will have to accept the result and try to build on from this for the upcoming competitions.
"The competition is tough and there are some big and experienced names that haven't made it to the semis," Miller said.
