Constandinou Breaks Cypriot 50k Record Again

After a marathon car and ferry journey, John Constandinou made another successful assault on Europe as he once again rewrote the Cyprus National 50 kilometres Race Walking record on the continent.

The 34- year old Birchfield Harrier, who only took up this form of athletics a couple of years ago after watching the discipline at the Olympics Games in Athens, smashed his own National record which he set recently in Holland by three and three quarter minutes with a new mark of five hours 16 minutes and fifty nine seconds in the Swiss National Championships at Yverdon-les-Bains.

The Web Developer from Hamstead, who was born in West Bromwich but is, qualified to represent Cyprus by virtue of his father’s nationality, drove for twelve hours through England, France, Belgium and Luxemburg with an overnight stop at Dunkirk to eventually reach his destination on the shore of the picturesque Lake Neuchatel, which is equidistant between Lausanne and Neuchatel.

Constandinou whilst pleased with his record knows that there is still much scope for further improvement, “I didn't race as evenly as I did at Holland. My target was 5:15 but when I completed the first 20k in just under two hours I felt that I had a chance of getting close to the five hours barrier consequently I went too fast and wore myself out. The slowest segment was between 39 and 45 kilometres but I recovered to finish strongly in the last three miles. Each circuit and at the medal ceremony, the organisers encouraged me by playing the tune Zorba the Greek which was very innovative.

I didn't hurt as much afterwards as any of the other 50k's that I have done previously. My performance scores 798 points in the IAAF tables and came within 29 seconds of the 800 points barrier.
He continued, “Next time I will beat 5:10 but I have sub five hours in my sights now having already improved by forty minutes already this year.”
45-year old Karen Davies finished third in the Women’s Veteran category and fifth overall in the 10k race in a time of 62 minutes 37 seconds just fourteen seconds ahead of the Italian Junior Race Walker Luana Petre representing Milan.  

On Tuesday evening, Constandinou received the Birchfield Harriers Athlete of the Month Award in appreciation of his performances in the preceding month.

He said, “The clubroom was full and even though I was a little embarrassed, it was a great honour to receive this recognition which I greatly appreciated.” 

Tom McCook

8 November 2006