The German long-distance runner Amanal Petros cannot finish the Olympic marathon. The reason for this is the after-effects of an infection.
How bitter! The German marathon record holder Amanal Petros could not finish the Olympic marathon race.
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When Ethiopian Tamirat Tola won the race, crossing the finish line on the demanding course after 2:06:26 hours, 29-year-old Petros gave up early. “I dropped out after 32 kilometers because I just couldn’t go on,” said the disappointed DLV runner after the race.
The reason for this was the after-effects of an infection he caught a few weeks ago. His goal was actually to place in the top five, Petros revealed after the race. He was in “very, very good shape” until the infection with the corona virus slowed him down. The illness “completely threw him out.”
Olympics: DLV athlete abandons race
Petros came to Germany two weeks before the competition in Paris to undergo a medical examination. Even though his condition had improved “a lot” thanks to the care he received in Germany, Petros was ultimately not as fit “as I had imagined.”
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He had imagined a different result, but as a “professional runner I just have to accept it and look forward.” For him, these were not the last Olympic Games.
After corona infection: “Body is completely destroyed”
Before Petros can challenge the world elite again, the European Championship bronze medalist in Rome must get completely healthy again, because: “The body is completely destroyed.” The next step would be a blood test and a performance diagnosis, revealed the 29-year-old.
He is not the only top German athlete struggling with the after-effects of a corona infection: long jumper Malaika Mihambo also became infected with the virus shortly before the Olympic Games.
Although Mihambo won the silver medal in a high-class competition, he subsequently suffered from breathing problems and had to be taken out of the stadium in a wheelchair.
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Wrestler twelfth at Olympic marathon
Silver on the difficult marathon course went to Belgian Bashir Abdi (2:06:47 h). Bronze went to Kenyan Benson Kipruto, who crossed the finish line 13 seconds after Abdi after the athletes had to overcome more than 400 meters of elevation.
The best German marathon runner was Richard Ringer, who finished in twelfth place with a time of 2:09:18 hours. Samuel Fitwi Sibhatu (2:09:50 hours) came in 15th.
