Perfect pacing by a trio of Lesotho athletes secured podium places in yesterday's Nedbank Cape Town City Marathon which was held in ideal conditions.
Perfect pacing by a trio of Lesotho athletes secured podium places in yesterday's Nedbank Cape Town City Marathon which was held in ideal conditions.
Neo Molema wasted no time in stretching the field from the city centre start, going through the first kilometre in 0:2:56 and maintaining a relentless three-minute pace through the first quarter of the marathon.
Enos Matalane made his move at 6km to close Molema's initial 250m lead, catching the Mr Price athlete just after the 12km mark, although pulling the field through halfway in an impressive 0:64:5.
"I hadn't expected it to be so fast, but made my move at 31km. I knew I could pull them back," said Toyota's Motlokoa Mkhabutlenu, who took over the lead at 34km on the Sea Point promenade.
The lightweight Lesotho athlete kept a steady rhythm past the 2010 Green Point Stadium to finish in front of the City Hall in an impressive 2:14:16.
He did this over 50secs clear of his Toyota clubmate Lebenya Nkoka, with Sechaba Bohosi, also from Lesotho but running as an independent athlete, placed third in 2:15:37.
Molema showed great tenacity to hold on for fourth and first South African in 2:16:23.
Comrades winner Vladimir Kotov outran many younger runners to record 2:31:59 as the first 50-year-old, and taking nine minutes off the Western Province record. His time was almost four minutes faster than Nedbank's Thembinkosi Ndyogolo, the first in the 40-49 age category.
Zimbabwean Samukeliso Moyo defended her title, taking the tape in 2:42:12, virtually identical to her last year's time.
The women's lead was only secured on Beach Road where Moyo kicked before heading onto the promenade.
Sharon Tavenga, running her debut marathon, hung onto Moyo's slipstream but was unable to close the gap, finishing 45 seconds adrift.
Lesotho's Moleboheng Mafata, running in the colours of Toyota, was third in 2:43:09. Joshua Sabao outsprinted SA cross-country champion Boy Soke to win the Nedbank 10km in 0:28: 53, with the Kovsies athlete only five seconds away. Western Province's Lindikhaya Mthangayi was third and the last athlete under 29 minutes, crossing the line in 0:28:59.
With the top 10 women, led by Irvette van Blerk, missing the penultimate turn, 16-year-old Dominque Scott was first to cross the line in 0:36:31, with Nolene Conrad and Thozama April sharing the same time of 0:36:34.
Consensus among the runners and officials saw Van Blerk being acknowledged as the race winner, with Violet Raseboya second and Annerien van Schalkwyk third.
Nandipha Dywili was awarded fifth position and first junior. The marshalling error had no effect on other age categories. - Sapa
lesotho trio on gallop
Perfect pacing by a trio of Lesotho athletes secured podium places in yesterday's Nedbank Cape Town City Marathon which was held in ideal conditions.
Perfect pacing by a trio of Lesotho athletes secured podium places in yesterday's Nedbank Cape Town City Marathon which was held in ideal conditions.
Neo Molema wasted no time in stretching the field from the city centre start, going through the first kilometre in 0:2:56 and maintaining a relentless three-minute pace through the first quarter of the marathon.
Enos Matalane made his move at 6km to close Molema's initial 250m lead, catching the Mr Price athlete just after the 12km mark, although pulling the field through halfway in an impressive 0:64:5.
"I hadn't expected it to be so fast, but made my move at 31km. I knew I could pull them back," said Toyota's Motlokoa Mkhabutlenu, who took over the lead at 34km on the Sea Point promenade.
The lightweight Lesotho athlete kept a steady rhythm past the 2010 Green Point Stadium to finish in front of the City Hall in an impressive 2:14:16.
He did this over 50secs clear of his Toyota clubmate Lebenya Nkoka, with Sechaba Bohosi, also from Lesotho but running as an independent athlete, placed third in 2:15:37.
Molema showed great tenacity to hold on for fourth and first South African in 2:16:23.
Comrades winner Vladimir Kotov outran many younger runners to record 2:31:59 as the first 50-year-old, and taking nine minutes off the Western Province record. His time was almost four minutes faster than Nedbank's Thembinkosi Ndyogolo, the first in the 40-49 age category.
Zimbabwean Samukeliso Moyo defended her title, taking the tape in 2:42:12, virtually identical to her last year's time.
The women's lead was only secured on Beach Road where Moyo kicked before heading onto the promenade.
Sharon Tavenga, running her debut marathon, hung onto Moyo's slipstream but was unable to close the gap, finishing 45 seconds adrift.
Lesotho's Moleboheng Mafata, running in the colours of Toyota, was third in 2:43:09. Joshua Sabao outsprinted SA cross-country champion Boy Soke to win the Nedbank 10km in 0:28: 53, with the Kovsies athlete only five seconds away. Western Province's Lindikhaya Mthangayi was third and the last athlete under 29 minutes, crossing the line in 0:28:59.
With the top 10 women, led by Irvette van Blerk, missing the penultimate turn, 16-year-old Dominque Scott was first to cross the line in 0:36:31, with Nolene Conrad and Thozama April sharing the same time of 0:36:34.
Consensus among the runners and officials saw Van Blerk being acknowledged as the race winner, with Violet Raseboya second and Annerien van Schalkwyk third.
Nandipha Dywili was awarded fifth position and first junior. The marshalling error had no effect on other age categories. - Sapa
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