Duma wins Sani Stagger on debut

UNDERBERG local Nkosinathi Duma won the 2017 Sani Stagger title yesterday on debut, backing his hill-climbing strength in treacherous slippery conditions to hold off former winner and Comrades champion Bongmusa Mthembu.

Overnight rain left the road up Sani Pass slippery and the 400 marathoners left the Premier Sani Pass Hotel in cold drizzle, climbing from 1566m to 2865m at the summit of Sani Pass before turning back to the finish.

Duma ground out a lead of several hundred metres ascending the pass, and admitted that he had been forced to walk at several stages.

Once he turned at the top of Sani Pass, he squared up to his Arthur Ford team mate Mthembu, and admitted he was running scared on the return leg.

“I was afraid because Bongmusa (Mthembu) is tougher than me! I was running under pressure. When we passed each other he just said to me ‘I am coming for you’, which scared me!” he exclaimed Duma.

Under pressure to maintain his lead, he was taking risks on the slippery descent and fell heavily at the 36km mark, opening wounds on both his knees.

Duma is working hard at improving on his 16th place finish in the last Comrades, and is following Mthembu’s theory that the tough outing up Sani Pass is a vital part of the base training for a successful Comrades.

“That was very, very tough,” a relieved Duma said at the finish. Mthembu concurred, stating that this was his toughest Sani Stagger outing.

The women’s title fell to Secunda stalwart Natasha Malan, who finished third last year, and who had teammate and coach Wiehan Van Der Berg for company on the 21,1km descent. “I am working hard for a gold medal at Comrades next year,” she said.

The 21km title fell for a third time to Hillcrest Villagers runner Derek Wasserfall, who said the conditions had been the toughest he had experienced on the iconic run.