Long-distance runner Elroy Gelant had an experience to forget at the London Marathon on Sunday.
The 34-year-old Potchefstroom-based marathoner pulled out of the race after 16km due to injury. The Boxer running club star couldn’t take the pain on his back and decided to abort his mission in the United Kingdom.
Lack of fitness, competition and not enough time to prepare for the famous race were some of the factors that the 2016 Rio Olympian blamed for his performance overseas.
Gelant said the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown restrictions had made it difficult for athletes to take to the streets and keep themselves in great shape. Gelant was struggling to hold back the tears when speaking from his hotel room in London moments after the race.
“It was a tough day for me. I went into the race with back pains and told myself that I would be able to go through with the race. But it got severe and it affected my right leg,” said a bitterly disappointed Gelant.
Gelant said he and his coach, Jean Verster, had done everything to prepare for the race but hadn’t had enough time in which to do it. As a result of his terrible experience in England, the human resources manager at the University of North West will not take part in the Sanlam Cape Town virtual marathon on October 18.
Gelant devastated as injury cuts his London run short
Image: REUTERS/John Sibley
Long-distance runner Elroy Gelant had an experience to forget at the London Marathon on Sunday.
The 34-year-old Potchefstroom-based marathoner pulled out of the race after 16km due to injury. The Boxer running club star couldn’t take the pain on his back and decided to abort his mission in the United Kingdom.
Lack of fitness, competition and not enough time to prepare for the famous race were some of the factors that the 2016 Rio Olympian blamed for his performance overseas.
Gelant said the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown restrictions had made it difficult for athletes to take to the streets and keep themselves in great shape. Gelant was struggling to hold back the tears when speaking from his hotel room in London moments after the race.
“It was a tough day for me. I went into the race with back pains and told myself that I would be able to go through with the race. But it got severe and it affected my right leg,” said a bitterly disappointed Gelant.
Gelant said he and his coach, Jean Verster, had done everything to prepare for the race but hadn’t had enough time in which to do it. As a result of his terrible experience in England, the human resources manager at the University of North West will not take part in the Sanlam Cape Town virtual marathon on October 18.
Athletes can't wait to get back on track
Gelant finished fourth as the highest placed South African in Cape Town last year.
“On Saturday, the medical team took me to the hospital to get injections. I stayed for a day and they booked me into the theatre to see if they could relieve the pain. But the problem was still affecting my body. At the 15km mark the pain was there, and it got too severe. At 15km and 16km I knew that I could not take any more pain for the next 26km,” he said.
The soft-spoken runner said he had tried his best but in SA people will deem him to be a lazy runner.
“I thought that the things I took in the hospital and the treatment they gave could delay the pain. It is difficult to process this when thinking of the athletes and coaches that assisted me with this. I apologise to everyone that I let down,” Gelant added.
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