Zanardi wins Rome Marathon, sets new Handcycle Record

Alessandro Zanardi (IT), who has been a BMW Brand Ambassador for quite some time now, is making news once again for his exemplary performance in handcycle racing. It is just the beginning of his 2016 para-cycling season and yet he was able to set a new record at the prestigious Rome Marathon (IT). In fact, he beat his own record set in 2012 by 2 minutes and 30 seconds. It is his fifth win. His new record time is 1:09:15 hours. It was only after over six and a half minutes before the Mauro Cratassa (IT) crossed the finish line and came in second to Zanardi.

The Rome Marathon began at the very famous Colosseum and also ended there. The total length of the race is 42 kilometers. The route of the race was no less than amazing. It went through the historic and beautiful city center and many well-known landmarks. The race has been held since 1995 and quickly became one of the largest marathon events in Europe. This year, there were more than 13,500 participants. The course, though picturesque, was not easy. Contenders had to go through the city and race over cobblestone with lots of very tight turns.

Zanardi is no stranger to handcycle racing wins. He has already won two Paralympic gold medals and eight world championship titles. In an interview, Zanardi says that it was a good day to race and he was very happy with the results. The weather was nice and sunny. His great performance is attributed to his mental and physical preparations. He came to the race ready and with a mindset of a winner. Zanardi admits that he likes to beat his own record since this becomes a testament of his continuous improvement.

He will be participating in the Marina di Massa (IT) in Tuscanny next week as a part if his training programme. Zanardi will not have any motorsport racing participations for this year. He has decided to focus in para-cycling competitions for the time being. Clearly, his focus and dedication is paying off!