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Zane Robertson and Malcolm hicks compete in the marathon at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (Photo credit Getty Images)

Getting over the finish line was victory in itself for Zane Robertson and Malcolm Hicks in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic marathon, with over a quarter of the field not finishing the race. The temperature was already 25 degrees when the race began at 7am local time, with the decision to move the event to Sapporo to secure optimal conditions, scuppered by an unexpected heat wave.

Both Kiwi runners finished in season-best times, Zane crossing in 2:17:04 and 36^th position, and Malcolm in 2:23:12 for 64^th.

It was Zane’s second Olympics, after he competed in the 10,000m at the 2016 Rio Olympics, finishing 12^th. Following Rio, the 31-year-old shifted his focus to longer distance running and broke the New Zealand record on his marathon debut at the 2019 Gold Coast marathon.

The fern on the back of Zane’s singlet was visible on the tail of the lead pack over the first half of the race. As the group began to drop runners, Zane stayed connected but as they hit the 25km mark and the pace increased a leading group began to separate, driven by Kenyan world record holder Eliud Kipchoge who was in a class of his own and the eventual gold medallist.

After dropping off the lead pack, Zane peaked at 19^th at the 30km mark, before the intensity of the heat and the pace took its toll. The Ethiopian-based runner battled over the final 10km and collapsed over the line in 36^th place, before being taken away in a wheelchair to recover.

Further back in the field, it was an Olympic debut for Malcolm Hicks on the final day of competition and he performed admirably in the oppressive heat. The 33-year-old, who is based in London but raised in Auckland, was in 81^st at the half way point, but gradually picked his way through the field.

Malcolm was 71^st with just over 10km to go, and claimed a further six places over the final leg, crossing in 64^th with a slight limp but still standing unlike many in the field.