Top roadrunners make mark in Cape Town
WHILE Bay roadrunning stars Melikhaya Frans and Ntombesinthu Mfunzi may not have fulfilled their ambition of a podium finish in the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon on Sunday, they did not return empty-handed.
Both pocketed R25 000 each for being the third South Africans home in Africa’s only IAAF Gold Label status marathon, which carried a winner’s purse of R265 000 for both men and women.
Frans collected an additional R10 000 for finishing 10th overall. Mfunzi finished 13th in the women’s category.
While Mfunzi was running her fourth marathon, Frans, who holds the national 30km record of 1:30:54 set earlier this year, was running his first.
“Our target is a sub 2:09,” Frans’s coach, Michael Mbambani, said.
“At the halfway mark, Melikhaya was in the lead bunch on 65 minutes and on target [for a podium finish].
“But in the second half, the heat and inexperience got the better of him and he finished 10th in 2:15:40.”
The race was won by Ethiopian Asefa Mengstu Negewo in 2:10:01, the first runner to complete back-toback wins.
The result could open doors for Frans as organisers of international events are on the lookout for athletes who run their debut marathons around the 2:10 mark.
Mfunzi’s time of 2:51 was almost two minutes slower than her best time for a marathon.
“I was on target for a 2:46 finish up to the 37km mark.
“In the last 5km the heat got to me, but I am not disappointed.”
Mfunzi also blamed the lack of competition locally, where she easily wins races from 10km to the marathon.
“I need to run one or two races out of town where the competition is much stiffer.”
The overall winner of the women’s category was Betelhem Moges in 2:30:22, which was just outside the course record.