Prokopchuk takes 12th place in marathon competition in Rio de Janeiro

Latvian long distance runner Yelena Prokopchuk took 12th place in Olympic marathon competition in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday.

Kenya’s Jemima Sumgong took 1st place in the marathon, covering the 42,195 km in two hours twenty four minutes and four seconds. Prokopchuk lost to her five minutes and twenty eight seconds, which brought her 12th place.

Eunice Jepkirui Kirva from Bahrain won silver. She lost nine seconds to the champion. Ethiopian runner Mare Dibaba won bronze in the marathon.

Latvian athletes Ilona Marhele and Ariana Hilborna also took part in the marathon. They reached the 35 km mark.

The 39-year-old Prokopchuk is Latvia’s strongest long-distance runner. Up until now she has taken part in three Olympic Games events. The last time was 12 years ago, when she ran the 10,000 m distance in Athens.

She avoided the Olympic Games that followed, saying that the locations were too hot for her.

Prokopchuk is the champion of 2005 and 2006 New York marathon and winner of 2005 and 2015 marathons in Osaka.

Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro will last until 21 August.

BNN 

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