READY TO RACE: The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon,
Africa’s most iconic road race, boasted a massive field of just under 8 000 entrants, cementing its position among the continent’s most popular road-running events. and 24
ETHIOPIAN Asefa Mengstu Negewo came back to the marathon that launched him on to the international stage in 2016 and destroyed a quality field to successfully defend his Sanlam Cape Town Marathon title in almost perfect weather conditions yesterday.
Running in a lead pack of six athletes that included Ketema Bekele Negasa, race favourite Laban Mutai, Duncan Maiyo and South Africa’s Xolisa Tyali, Negewo went through 10km in 30:18, some 13 seconds behind pacemaker Henry Kiplagat.
By 30km, the pack was chasing down Kiplagat and had whittled his lead down to nine seconds with Negewo driving the bus. At 35km, Negewo threw down the gauntlet and pulled away from his rivals to cross the line in 2:10.01
“Defending my title was important to me. I am really happy to be able to defend my title as this race put me on the map,” said Negewo .
“I was hoping for a faster time, I wanted to break my course record (2:08.42) but there was a bit of wind between 11km and 18km which slowed us down, and the guys didn’t want to work together. So if things go well I would like to come back next year and try and win the race for the third time and break my course record.”
Second was countryman Ketema Negessa (2:11.06) with Duncan Maiyo of Kenya taking third place (2:11.26).
Elroy Gelant in his debut marathon, was the best of the South Africans. His 2:12.49 was good enough for fifth overall.
The women’s race saw some drama as pacemaker Helalia Johannes went out at a blistering pace, dropping the main protagonists by the halfway mark, reached in 1:15.22.
Strung out behind her were all the race favourites some 38 seconds adrift. Running comfortably in that chase pack were Meserey Asefan, Ethiopian Betelhem Moges, Fantu Jimma and Agnes Kiprop among others. South Africa’s Irvette van Zyl seemed content to sit roughly a minute further down.
By 35km it was clear that, pacemaking duties fulfilled, Johannes was going for the win and when she saw the finish line two kilometres out, she must have thought that the victory was hers.
But, within less than a kilometre to go, she was caught by Moges who went on to win in 2:30.22, Johannes coming through six seconds adrift (2:30.28) and Kiprop third in 2:31.00.
When asked if she was worried about the pacemaker being so far ahead, Moges was a bit surprised that Johannes had stayed in the race for so long. “I was expecting her to pull out and was not aware that she was so far ahead, so I was surprised when I saw her in front of me.
“But I saw she was struggling and so I surged and caught her.”
Gelant’s fifth place means he was the first South African home and earned him a R100 000 bonus to go with the R25 000 for fifth.
Van Zyl’s ninth place earned her R12 000 plus the R100 000 bonus.