Mcelwa Nchabeleng

Mcelwa Nchabeleng

After making an impressive debut in the marathon this year, Poppy Mlambo is keen to make another impression as a marathoner at the Nedbank Matha Series Half- Marathon in Bloemfontein on April 21.

Mlambo goes into the Bloemfontein event buoyed after winning the Nedbank City Marathon Championships in Port Elizabeth on February 10.

She won in the time of 2hr:39min:19secs.

Mlambo will also use the event in Bloemfontein as part of her preparations for the World Championships in Osaka, Japan, in August.

She has been included in Team South Africa for the world event.

Mlambo said she was in good shape and was looking forward to the race.

Shadrack Hoff, one of South Africa's leading road athletes, has also confirmed his entry for the half-marathon.

Hoff won the Nedbank Tshwane Half-Marathon in January in the time of 64:20.

Though he said his training had not been going well lately, he remained confident he would pull off a good time in Bloemfontein.

Norman Dlomo is also likely to spring a surprise in Bloemfontein after having just completed the Rome Marathon in Italy three weeks ago. He came seventh in Rome.

Dlomo finished second behind Hoff in the Nedbank Tshwane Half- Marathon in January.

While some of the country's leading road athletes are rushing to confirm their participation for the series, Athletics South Africa (ASA) is urging runners from the Bloemfontein clubs to get their entries in before the closing date on April 16.

"We urge them to register now and be part of this event that has a total prize money of more than R200000," Phiwe Tsholetsane, ASA's events, marketing and communications manager, said yesterday.

Tsholetsane said the winners in both men and women's sections would each pocket R20000.