Lusapho AprilHome:Uitenhage, South AfricaBib: #17 Pronunciation:Loo-SAH-Paw Ap-ril Birthdate:24 May 1982 Personal Best:2:08:32 (Hannover, 2013) CR |
| 03Nov13 | ING New York City Marathon | 3rd | 2:09:45 |
| 12Aug12 | London Olympic Games Marathon | 43rd | 2:19:00 |
| 05May13 | TUI Marathon Hannover | 1st | 2:08:32 CR |
| 15Apr12 | Vienna Marathon | 20th | 2:14:01 |
| 30Oct11 | BMW Frankfurt Marathon | 20th | 2:11:09 |
| 08May11 | TUI Marathon Hannover | 1st | 2:09:25 |
| 13Feb11 | George South African Marathon Championships | 1st | 2:13:21 |
| 02May10 | TUI Marathon Hannover | 5th | 2:10:44 |
| 03May09 | TUI Marathon Hannover | 8th | 2:14:19 |
Lusapho April had a banner year in 2013 as he set a course record at the Hannover Marathon and followed with by securing third place at the New York City Marathon. In 2013 he also finished runner up at the Cape Town Half Marathon and the East London South African Half Marathon Championships. In 2012 he represented his country at the Olympic Games Marathon, but faltered after he fell during the middle of the race. In 2011 April won both the Hannover Marathon and the George South African Marathon Championships, becoming the national champion. He set a national record in the 25K (1:15:02) at the 2010 Berlin Big 25K. His half marathon personal best of 1:01:32 was earned with a win at the 2005 Johannesburg SASSU Half Marathon Championships.
April trains at Hogsback in the Amatola Mountains of the Eastern Cape in South Africa. He says, “I was inspired by a runner named Cecil Nazo who lived in the rural Eastern Cape town of Addo, where I was born. I saw him train every day, whatever the weather. I decided that I also wanted to be a runner and I started in 1995 when I was 12 years old.” April says the 2012 London Olympic Games Marathon was a pivotal moment for him. “I learned a lot from the race,” says April. “I was in 12th position and feeling good about finishing strongly when I fell at a drink station near 30 kilometers and struggled to the finish. I was very disappointed after the race and thought about giving up running. My coach encouraged me to continue and not to waste all the years of hard training and sacrifice. In 2013, I ran a personal best in winning the Hannover Marathon in Germany for the second time and then was third in the New York City Marathon.” April attended the University of Fort Hare and studied towards a BA in Human Movement Studies. He is the oldest of seven children and is a Xhosa from the Mfingo tribe of the Eastern Cape. As part of their tribal custom he is missing the last joint of the little finger on his left hand. April has a girl friend and three-year-old daughter named Avuswa.
“No one can stop us from enjoying our freedom to run.”