media_artricles :: 2012

Nero chases Olympic standard in Rotterdam

Tonya Nero will be on the roads of Rotterdam, Holland, today, bidding to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics.

Nero is among the runners who will compete in the ABN AMRO Marathon Rotterdam. Her goal in the 26.2-mile race is bettering the women's marathon Olympic B qualifying standard–two hours, 43 minutes.

Today's event is Nero's second marathon. Last December, she competed in the MetroPCS Dallas White Rock Marathon, in the United States, finishing ninth in the women's race in 3:04:09.

Her clocking earned the 23-year-old Trinidad and Tobago runner second spot in the women's 20-24 category.

The time produced by Nero in Dallas was more than 20 minutes outside the Olympic B standard. The weather, though, was severe, and just finishing the race was an achievement.

Running in cold, rainy and windy conditions, Nero got hypothermia (abnormally low body temperature), but battled on to the finish line.

As part of her preparation for the ABN AMRO Marathon Rotterdam, Nero competed in the North America, Central America and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) Cross Country Championships and the T&T International Half Marathon.

On March 17, at the Queen's Park Savannah in Port of Spain, Nero became the first T&T runner to earn a NACAC Cross Country Championship individual medal, the Wichita State University graduate claiming silver in the women's six-kilometre event in 20 minutes, 33 seconds.

Eight days later, she was a runaway winner of the T&T Half Marathon women's title, completing the 13.1-mile course in 1:19:06.

Nero is hoping to become the first T&T woman to run in an Olympic marathon.

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