Gelant’s podium spot a ‘big boost’
12 ONERUN RACE: KENYAN GACHAGA CRUISES TO WIN Among the women, SA’s Nolene Conrad settles for second.
Distance runner Elroy Gelant says his performance on the road in Cape Town yesterday will give him the boost he needs as he embarks on his European track campaign.
After finishing third at last year’s Cape Town 12 OneRun race, Gelant went on to set a national 5 000m record of 13:04.88 in Hengelo a week later.
Though he was 13 seconds slower yesterday over the 12km distance, crossing the line in 33:54, he again finished third.
“This race is really important to me. It sharpens me up a bit to get this great competition before going to Europe,” said Gelant, who struggled with fatigue during the domestic track season.
“Having all these guys in one race, it helps to sharpen up your mind and gets you ready for international competitions.”
Kenyan athlete Morris Gachaga laid down the hammer in the closing stages to break the eight-yearold 12km world best at the third edition of the OneRun contest.
He completed the race in 33:27, chopping four seconds off the global mark over the rarely run distance which had been set by countryman Sammy Kitwara in San Francisco in May 2009.
His performance could not be considered as a world record, however, as the race was held over an unofficial distance on a point-to-point course.
Namakoe Nkhasi of Lesotho, who was dropped in the latter stages after delivering a gutsy performance, took second place in 33:43, and Gelant was the first SA athlete home.
Defending champion Stephen Mokoka, set to compete at the Great Manchester Run 10km race in England next week, settled for sixth position.
In the women’s race, British athlete Tish Jones, who won the Cape Town Marathon last year, annihilated the women’s field by stunning the local contingent with a gun-to-tape victory in 39:50.
Nolene Conrad carried the SA flag, grabbing second spot in 41:08.