Uganda’s top female marathon athlete Jane Suuto qualified for this year’s London Olympics after running 2:42.07 at the Nordea Riga Marathon in Latvia on yesterday. The runner finished third overall in the 42km road race behind second placed Kenyan Miriam Wangari with 2:41.13 over a tough course. Russian Iraida Aleksandrova had crossed the finishing line first with 2:37:37.
She becomes the twelveth Ugandan runner to qualify for the London Olympics due July 27 after the Latvia marathon, one of the last qualification event for the summer games. Suuto who returns home today holds the national record (2:37:43) which she registered in Caene, France last year. That feat could have earned her a place in the London Olympics but unfortunately was not among the IAAF recognised events.
In 2009 in Berlin, Suuto became the first Ugandan female marathon runner to compete in the IAAF World Championships (12th edition). Other athletes who have already qualified for the Olympics include; Edwin Ekiring (badminton), Moses Ndiema Kipsiro, Benjamin Kiplagat and Stephen Kiprotich.