Locals to tackle Cape Town Marathon
Two Mossel Bay athletes have joined up with other Southern Cape runners, mainly from Oudtshoorn, to do the Sanlam Cape Town Virtual Marathon together on 18 October.
They are tackling the marathon for a worthy cause - to raise funds for children living on the street.
Tonya Schoeman (12) and Carla Bezuidenhout (36), who live in the Mossel Bay area, are training with Anderson Ncube, John April, Bianca la Grange and Gerrit Hendricks for the marathon. The athletes will be tackling different distances as part of their team quest, which will take place in Oudtshoorn on the day of the virtual marathon.
They will either complete 42km, 21km, 10km or 5km.
Tonya is doing 5km and Carla, 21km. The athletes are running to raise funds for children in need in the Oudtshoorn area via Sport for Change. To donate to this cause, go to the Sport for Change website and click on Running for those in need (www. sport4change.co.za/campaign/21/runningfor-those-who-are-in-need). Anderson Ncube and John April started the initiative because so many people lost their jobs during the lockdown and they noticed there were more children on the street than usual. Tonya is home schooled.
She said: "This is a great opportunity for me to work with these good, senior athletes. It's also so good to gather funds for a worthy cause." Previously Tonya has collected running shoes and given them to needy children.
Competes internationally
She competes internationally in laser run; nationally in cross country running, athletics and lifesaving; and provincially in biathle and triathle.
This year, in biathlon U13, she was selected for the Eden Highgate team and she came fifth in the Eden Championships held in Oudtshoorn.
She competed in these virtual events during the lockdown: UIPM Laser Home Run, first place; Nedbank Runified 8km, seventh place; and Nedbank Runified 5km, fifth place.
Also, Tonya was selected for the SA laser run U13 team for the World Championships in Minsk, Belarus.
In the laser run SA Championships in Bloemfontein) she came first; in the Western Cape Champs (George), first; and in the Eden Champs (George), first.
Carla belongs to the 32 GI SWD Running Club in Mossel Bay. She ran her first Comrades and Two Oceans marathons in 2014. The 21km is her favourite distance.
She said: "I'm really excited about our team and the good reason we are doing this - to help people in need.
"Although we will be running at the same venue, our starting points will vary from distance to distance and some of us will pass one another and some will finish sooner than others.
"I know Anderson Ncube well. We've participated in races together. I also know John April. We had spoken about doing this kind of race often. They had a vision to do this. We all discussed our different distances and who would be invited to the team."