Hicks Mittelholzer has described his appearance at the Buenos Aires Half Marathon as a memorable step in his development after the Guyanese runner established a new personal best and finished among the leading 600 competitors.
Mittelholzer completed the August 23 race in a net time of 1:21:09, placing 502nd in a field of 28,729 ranked participants. He was also 95th among 2,250 competitors in the men’s 18–29 category.
“Overall, I’m really grateful for the experience. The Buenos Aires Half Marathon was a very good event and I’m happy that I got the opportunity to be a part of it,” Mittelholzer said.
“The atmosphere was excellent, the weather was really nice for running, the people were welcoming, and the event itself was very well organized.”
The official timing system recorded a gun time of 1:23:00 and a net time of 1:21:09. The difference occurred because Mittelholzer crossed the starting line one minute and 51 seconds after the race began.
He maintained a steady performance throughout the 21.1 kilometres, recording net times of 19:20 at five kilometres, 38:02 at 10 kilometres, 57:33 at 15 kilometres and 1:17:09 at 20 kilometres.
Beyond improving his time, Mittelholzer hopes his journey will encourage other people to remain committed to their ambitions.
“For me, the goal is to keep working, keep improving and continue becoming a better athlete,” he said. “I also want my journey to be something that can motivate and inspire other people, especially those who may have goals of their own but sometimes feel like they are far away.”
Mittelholzer said he primarily financed the Buenos Aires trip but received valuable assistance from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and Gafsons Industries Limited.
“Every bit of assistance goes a long way, especially when competing internationally, so I really appreciate both companies for believing in what I’m doing and contributing to the journey,” he said.
He also expressed gratitude to God for giving him the health, strength and opportunity to travel, compete and return safely with a result of which he was proud.
Following a period of recovery, Mittelholzer will prepare for the Atlantic City Marathon on October 18. Unlike the Buenos Aires event, Atlantic City will test him over the full 42.2-kilometre distance.
He is then looking to conclude his 2026 programme at the Run Barbados Marathon and Wellness Weekend in Bridgetown from December 4–6. The regional festival includes a fun mile, 5K, 10K, half marathon and marathon.
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