Marathon runner Gelant has not given up on Olympic participation

Though he will need a couple of people to withdraw in order to earn a spot at the Games, national champion Elroy Gelant is still hoping he will get the nod to compete in the Olympic marathon in Paris in August.

Setting a personal best of 2:08:56 in Seville in February, Gelant narrowly missed the automatic qualifying standard of 2:08:10.

He went on to win the SA marathon title in Durban in April in 2:09:32, which was still short of the required standard, but it pushed up his ranking points.

Ranking list

Now lying 82nd in the ranking list, with only 80 places available in the Olympic marathon, Gelant is hoping some of the 10 athletes who have received ‘universality places’ will be removed from the provisional entries.

Countries who receive universality places, which ensures every nation is included at the showpiece, can only take one men’s spot and one women’s place in the athletics competition at the multi-sport Games. If those countries select athletes in other events, it will open up places in the marathon.

If not, Gelant still remains hopeful that some of the automatic qualifiers could withdraw ahead of the Games, bumping him higher up the rankings.

“I’m still hopeful because a few things might still happen,” Gelant said after winning the national half-marathon title (1:03:54) in cold and wet conditions in Gqeberha at the weekend.

“There might be a few countries who want to use their quotas for other events on the track. Maybe there will even be a withdrawal among the automatic qualifiers.”

‘Not easy’ to prepare

Gelant admitted it was not the best way to prepare for the Olympics, with uncertainty hanging over his potential participation, but he was trying to stay positive and focus on his training.

“I’m positive that there will be an opening, but still, preparing for the Olympics like this is not easy,” he said.

“But I’m really hoping there will be an opening or two for me to get in.”

If Gelant misses out on his third appearance at the quadrennial Games, Stephen Mokoka will be the only South African man competing in the marathon in Paris.

A full contingent of three athletes – Gerda Steyn, Cian Oldknow and Irvette van Zyl – will participate in the women’s marathon after the trio all dipped under the automatic standard of 2:26:50 during the qualifying window which closed at the end of April.