Tanzanian runner Failuna Abdi Matanga has become the first athlete from her country to secure a place at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games after finishing third in Hamburg Marathon on Sunday.
Failuna clocked 2 hours, 27 minutes and 55 seconds to finish third behind, beating the qualifying time by almost two minutes.
Ethiopia’s Dibabe Kuma clocked 2:24:41 to win the race ahead of Kennyan Magdalyne Masai who finished second and Matanga in third.
The Olympic qualifying time for Women marathon is 2 hours, 29 minutes and 30 seconds. According to the Olympic qualifying rules anyone who meets the qualifying time from January 1st, 2019 to the time of the championship is eligible to participate.