NamibiaSport

Namibia’s Mannie Heymans finished 45th in the men’s Mountain Bike Cross Country race at the Olympic Games on Saturday, August 23.

Heymans was pulled off the course when he was lapped after five of the eight laps by the eventual winner, Julien Absalon of France.

Absalon won the gold medal after completing the 35,6km course in a time of 1:55,59. Absalon’s compatriot Jean Christophe Peraud finished second, 1 minute 7 seconds behind while Nino Schurter of Switzerland finished third, 1:53 behind the winner.



Mannie Heymans

Burries Stander of South Africa was the only African cyclist to finish the race, coming 15th overall, 5:59 behind the winner. The only other African cyclist in the event, Antipass Kwari of Zimbabwe was lapped after only three laps and finished 48th.

It was Heymans’ worst performance at the Olympics. In 2000 he came 26th at the Sydney Olympic Games and four years later he came 28th in Athens.

Heymans, who recently turned 37, said he hoped to continue competing for another two years before retiring.