South Sudanese runners excel in exile

by Brett Larner

Still in the midst of a long-term training camp in Maebashi ahead of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, the South Sudanese national track and field team did a time trial session at Maebashi Sports Park Gunma Denko Field on 6 June to help them visualise next summer’s main event.

The athletes had planned to run in three time trial meets within the prefecture, but with all three cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis head coach Hiroshi Yoshino, 66, organised the session himself. After warming up the athletes ran their planned distances among five different events. Three of the four athletes set new personal bests.