Athletics: Track talent runs in family for Paulino

By Terry Maddaford

For years, Tina Paulino admired the great feats of Mozambique middle-distance running star Maria Mutola - unaware they were cousins.

"I grew up in northern Mozambique, where I played basketball," 24-year-old Paulino said yesterday. "I looked upon her as a star, but then our paths crossed and when we looked at a list of names she had, it was quickly obvious she and my mother are first cousins and we are second cousins."

They ran in the1992 Barcelona Olympics - Mutola fifth over 800m, Paulino eliminated in the 400m semi-finals - and against each other for the first time in New York in 1993, where they both ran 800m personal-best times.

Paulino's 1m 56.62s remains her best and she hopes at least to go under two minutes in tonight's Marley Games at Papakura.

At last year's Commonwealth Games they scored a gold-silver finish over 800m to earn their country their only medals in Kuala Lumpur and the first ever won by the African nation.

Both are based in the United States - Paulino in Savannah, Georgia, and Mutola in Portland, Oregon - but they seem likely to clash at both the indoor and outdoor world championships this year.

Paulino has yet to beat her famous cousin.

"Maybe, one day I will," Paulino said. "But it won't worry me if I don't. Just running alongside her is motivation enough for me."

Pictured: Mozambiquan runner Tina Paulino. HERALD PICTURE / MARTIN SYKES