Van Zyl predicts new record for People’s Race

Long distance star Irvette van Zyl has predicted that her 2018 Soweto Marathon record will be smashed on Sunday either by her or another runner.

Van Zyl, who set a new benchmark of 2:33.43 in the women's 42km back in 2018, is one of the favourites to win this year’s Soweto Marathon. On Sunday, the 36-year-old marathoner will be running her first People’s Race in three years.

“I think the record will go but I am not sure if it’ll be me [who’ll break it]. I’ve always said it’s difficult to predict times before the race but if the weather is looking cooler, it’s really practical to break the records,” Van Zyl, who’s already won three Soweto Marathons, said during a media conference at FNB Stadium yesterday.

Meanwhile, legendary distance runner Joshua Peterson, who won two Soweto Marathons in his heyday, has urged the local runners to end the persistent foreign supremacy at this race. The last South African to win the People’s Race was Michael Mazibuko in 2008.

“Our runners must end this dominance by runners from outside the country. We are all tired now. I hope on Sunday one of our boys can win it,” Peterson, who won this race in 1998 and1999, said.

Ethiopian trio of reigning champion Daba Debele, Muhajir Sraj and Gadise Bekele, alongside Lesotho’s Namakoe Nkhasi are hot favourites for podium finish on Sunday. David Manja and Joel Monne are some of the locals tipped to trouble the favourites.

One of the reason the Soweto Marathon is distinguished is that the runners run pass some of the country’s significant heritage sites like the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Walter Sisulu Square, the Regina Mundi Catholic Church, Morris Isaacson High School, Vilakazi Street and the Hector Pieterson Memorial among others.

The starting time for the marathon is 5.30am, 6.30am for the 21.1km race and 7.30am for the 10km race. The race will start and finish at FNB Stadium.