Tanzania is preparing to send 10 of its marathon, long and middle distance runners to participate in the coming World Outdoor Track and Field Championships to be held in Finland next month.

The chosen athletes come mostly from northern Tanzania where altitude renders them faster and tougher than their peers from elsewhere of the east African country.

Yet the Tanzanian athletes did not touch any medal at last year's Olympic Games in Athens, where the best Tanzanian finish was 10th in the men's 10,000-meter run which was Tanzania's best shot at a medal in the Greek capital.

The Helsinki-bound squad consists of Getruli Bayo (men's marathon), Zebedayo Bayo (men's marathon), Samson Ramadhani (men's marathon), Samson Ramandhan (men's marathon), Christopher Isegwe (men's marathon), Banuela Mrashani (women's marathon), John Yuda Msuri ( men's 10,000 meters), Fabiano Joseph Naasi (men's 5,000 meters), Fabian Joseph (men's 5,000 meters) and Samwel Mwera (men's 800 and 1,500 meters).

These athletes were finalized after the 2005 Tanzanian national track and field championships held in Arusha of northern Tanzania over the past weekend.

The Helsinki world athletics championships are slated for August 6-14.

Source: Xinhua