VENICE, ITALY: Uganda’s long-distance runner, Solomon Mutai clinched gold in the men’s race at the 36th edition of the Venice Marathon in Italy over the weekend.
Despite being left out of the 2022 World Athletics Championships and Commonwealth Games teams, the 30-year-old bounced back in style to win the 2022 Venice Marathon in Italy with a record finishing time.
The Bukwo-born athlete posted an impressive 2:08:10 beating Kenya’s Emmanuel Rutto Nabei who clocked 2:09:41 while 2015 World Athletics Championships, Beijing bronze medallist Ethiopian Abebe posted 2:09:53 to clinch the third position.
This win automatically earns Mutai a ticket to the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary next year in August joining compatriots Victor Kiplangat, the Commonwealth Games marathon champion and Stephen Kissa, who have posted faster times.
A prominent member of Uganda’s athletics team and 2018 Commonwealth Games silver medallist, Mutai was not included in the 2022 Oregon World Athletics team and the Commonwealth Games, Birmingham.
Solomon Mutai, born 22 October 1992 started his career over shorter distances and at the 2009 Ugandan Championships he placed ninth over 1500 metres and fourth in the 3000 metres steeplechase. At the age of 18 years he was runner-up at the national 5000 metres, second to Moses Kipsiro.
He made his international debut for Uganda at the 2014 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships and helped Uganda to fifth in the team race by finishing 26th overall.
He was then selected to run the marathon at the 2014 Commonwealth Games where he finished fourth. He won a silver medal at the marathon event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
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