WHAT’S ON TWO OCEANS

LOCAL is always lekker, but in the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon local success is a rare commodity.

The success of Stellenbosch star Nolene Conrad in last year’s Two Oceans Half-Marathon and Khayelitsha’s Lungile Gongqa’s stunning triumph in the 2017 ultra-marathon were thus particularly sweet moments to savour for Cape Town supporters.

Remarkably, Gongqa’s was the first local win by a male athlete since mountaineer, athlete and artist Don Hartley took his second Two Oceans victory in 1973. And Conrad became just the third male or female Cape athlete to boast a Two Oceans Half-Marathon victory, following Makhosonke Fika’s 1998 triumph – the inaugural year of the half marathon – and Theresa du Toit’s win the following year.

Only in the women’s ultra-marathon competition have locals enjoyed more extended success, entirely due to Monica Drogemoller’s four victories in as many attempts in the late 1980s and early 90s. But since her fourth win in 1992, that Cape Town cupboard has been bare.

This year, several Cape Town athletes are contenders for podium positions, both on the road over 56km and half-marathon and in the trail events.

Gongqa returns and believes that even at 41 he has the ability to repeat his victory of 24 months ago, while two other veterans, Lindikhaya Mthangayi and Mthandazo Qhina, will be chasing gold medals.

Mthangayi, assistant pastor in the Khayelisha Methodist Church, is also one of the fastest clerics in the business and will be looking for divine intervention to aid his path to a Two Oceans victory, following an impressive build-up, which included victories in the Bay to Bay 30km, the Red Hill 36km and, most notably, in the Cape Peninsula Marathon, where he finished ahead of his Nedbank teammates Gongqa and Qhina.

He has made it clear that Kenyan athletes notwithstanding, a Two Oceans ultra win is his primary athletic goal in 2019, and with his former halfmarathon speed, which took him to three top 10 gold medals in the halfmarathon, combined with long miles in training, Mthangayi appears to have the credentials to delight Cape Town spectators this year.

Cape Town could enjoy early success, with Kane Reilly a formidable presence in the Friday trail race over 24km, after his emphatic victory at the SA Championships in Hout Bay three weeks ago. - STEPHEN GRANGER