Fighting talk from Comrade Tijane
Three-time gold medallist tells his rivals tomorrow is his time to win KZN epic
IT DID not reach the same passionate levels of the Flloyd Mayweather Jr versus Conor Mcgregor prematch trash talk, but there were a few jabs thrown during the Comrades Marathon prerace conference yesterday to inject some excitement into the build-up.
Ahead of the 93rd running of the world famous Kwazulu Natal ultra taking place tomorrow, the men and women regarded as top contenders gathered at a Durban South Beach hotel to speak about their readiness.
And while the mood was generally convivial among the protagonists from the different running clubs with many complimenting each other, there were some who injected some fighting talk into the affair.
“Just know that if you did not beat me in a marathon, you won’t beat me here,” three-time gold medallist Charles Tjiane of Maxed told his competitors, before adding matter-of-factly that “I’m going to be a champion”.
With a best place finish of third from back in 2009, many would have laughed off Tjiane’s pronouncements. But even last year, Tjiane showed his capabilities as he led for a while before the likes of Gift Kelehe got awoken by coach John Hamlett to the reality that Tijane might run away with it.
“I know they call me a rabbit (because of his tendency to go out too fast). Most races I should have won but I made a lot of mistakes. Lack of information on the route was my problem. No-one told me what was happening in the races. But that is all fixed now. So don’t call me a rabbit again. This is my year,” said Tijane.
His clubmate Prodigal Khumalo also threw the gauntlet at the rest of the field.
“I’m in better shape than last year,” said the two-time gold medallist who was eighth in 2017 but finished the year with a fantastic win in the Cape Ultra 100km in December. “I am ready for the challenge and if the guys make a mistake, I will punish them,” he declared.
Although he did not direct his talk at the opposition, Entiska Athletics Club’s Kelehe was not too far behind in proclaiming his goal for tomorrow.
“My eyes are set on the win. We have the best of the crop here; the record holder (David Gatebe), and defending and double champ (Bongmusa Mthembu), so whoever wins will have to work hard.”
Incredibly, despite their immense talents, both Gatebe and Mthembu were pretty reserved in their pronouncements.
Still celebrated his fantastic record-breaking run two years ago, Gatebe humbly attributed that lightning fast five hours and 18 minutes to the work done by other runners.
“In 2016 we had the hot spots (the sponsors put up different prizes for the fist runner reaching particular points first in the race) and that record is for those people who ran because they carried me to that time,” he said, adding that his preparations have gone well, and reminding everyone that this year’s distance is a little longer than that of two years ago.
Mthembu, the peak of his black cap almost covering his eyes, spoke – as he usually does – somewhat seriously and emphasised the fact that what happened in the past will have no bearing on this year’s race.
“I forgot what happened last year. But I believe my preparations have gone well. My coach is confident that I will do what he says we must do,” said the Arthur Ford runner who won the Down Run back in 2014 before adding last year’s Up Run title to become the first South African since Bruce Fordyce to win the event in both directions.
Down Run specialist, Ludwick Mamabolo – who won it in 2012 and has also been a runner-up, described himself as being tired of carrying others to the finish.
“In previous years, I’ve helped people go and win. You always see them crowding around me in the races. But this year it is every man for himself,” he insisted, adding that the race will not be won by the most physically strong runner but rather one who has the strongest mind.
Could Tjiane’s willingness to declare himself the best have dealt a psychological blow to his opponents?
We’ll know sometime before lunch-time tomorrow.