Oceans winner Gongqa to steer clear of Comrades
Do not bother looking out for Two Oceans winner Lungile Gongqa at the 2017 Comrades Marathon in June.
“No‚” Nedbank Running Club team manager Nick Bester said on Monday, when asked whether Gongqa would tackle the 88km classic‚ which will be run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg on June 4.
“He’ll go back to the marathon — Two Oceans was his first ultramarathon‚” he said.
That only adds to Gongqa’s feat on Saturday‚ when he became the first South African since 2013‚ the first Capetonian since 1973 and the first Khayelitshan to win the 56km race.
“He might try a fast‚ flat marathon overseas or he’ll be back for the Cape Town Marathon [on September 17]‚” Bester said.
Gongqa recorded a personal best for 42km when he clocked 2hr 11min 59sec at the 2015 Cape Town Marathon.
He finished 12th in the Mumbai Marathon in January‚ second in the Cape Peninsula HalfMarathon in February‚ and he won the Western Province and Milkwood half-marathons in March.
Saturday’s win earned Gongqa R250,000‚ which would have ballooned by R1m had he broken the record set by Thompson Magawana, who won in 1988 in 3:03:44.
Gongqa’s 3:09:43 was almost six minutes off that pace‚ but Bester said he would not be fazed by not making as much money as he might have.
“Some athletes become prima donnas when they do well, but he’s not like that; he’s down to earth‚” Bester said.
Gongqa was among many other athletes who did not heed a call before the race for runners to “say no to corruption” by wearing black armbands to “say no to poor leadership in our country”.
Activists at the Two Oceans Expo distributed pamphlets carrying that message and the logos of social organisations Save SA‚ Sonke Gender Justice‚ the Treatment Action Campaign and Constitution Country People.
In a media release on Thursday, race organisers warned runners against complying with the call.
“As a sporting event, we celebrate inclusivity and diversity‚ and strive to unite‚ not divide‚” the release said.
“We remain neutral‚ apolitical and impartial as an event‚ and are not associated nor condone any political activities at our events. We therefore respectfully request that runners and supporters do not use this event as the platform for political activities.”
The release directed participants to the race rules‚ which read: “Under no circumstances will any slogans‚ chants‚ banners‚ placards or such like of a political‚ religious or offensive nature be tolerated.”
The release also said that no “supporter or third party may engage in any political activity along the route of the race”.
That did not stop some spectators along the route in Fish Hoek from holding up posters that read “Zuma Must Go” and “Stop Corruption”.