Mabhongo, Moyo take men’s and women’s marathon honours
IKHAMVA athlete Zolani Mabhongo and Gauteng North’s Samukeliso Moyo (Nedbank) took the men’s and women’s honours respectively in the 1City Marathon which started and ended at the City Hall in Port Elizabeth yesterday.
Running in only his second marathon, Mabhongo won in a time of 2:24:03, ahead of first-time marathoner Andile Motwana (Tinarha) and third-placed Lucas Raseruthe (32GI EP).
Moyo led the women home in 2:59:57, followed by Bulelwa Simae (Nedbank WP) and Beryl Makokha (also Nedbank AGN).
Run in cool conditions with a gentle breeze, the second annual race attracted a field of 220 runners in the marathon and 40 teams in the corporate relay.
Both races followed a circular route through the streets of Walmer, Pari Park and Mount Pleasant, before returning to the start.
Moya and Simae were also the first two runners home in the women’s 40-49 year category.
Ndileka Mvakwendlu (Tinhara) was the first local woman home in 3:09:27.
Meanwhile, Desmond Zibi can claim the title of king of the road in the men’s 50-59 year category after adding the EP marathon record to his 10km, 15km and 21km records for his age category.
The Achilles runner finished in 2:42:10 to smash the record, set by Siankele Soyamba in 2006, by nearly five minutes.
Alan Taylor also proved that he is in a class of his own when he won the 60-69 category in 3:07:22.
The Ikhamva team, anchored by roadrunning ace Melikhaya Frans, won the club relay in 2:14:11.
Lubabalo Mdlungwana, Amos Nyongo and Adriaan Gerwell made up the rest of the team.
Roadrunning queen Ntombesintu Mfunzi led the Nedbank team, which included Liza-Marie Kingston, Priscilla Dyantyi and Toegeda Vyver, to victory in the women’s relay in 3:05:24.
THE E&M Group Friday Night Light series athletics meeting got off to a flying start at the Westbourne Oval on Friday.
Star performers were siblings Alan and Marga Cumming.
Both competed in the hammer throw and head the points standings going into the second series on November 3.
Athletes earn points in their respective events, accumulating points over the series.
The top 10 performances were: Male: Alan Cumming (hammer Throw, 67.77m, 959 points); Ivan Nortje (U17 hammer throw, 51.94m, 800); Mark Pellissier (1 500m walk, 7:17.08, 793); Jongixolo Mani (1 500m walk) 7:20.02, 789); Mandilakhe Nel (U19 hammer throw, 49.89m, 776); Dale Williams (100m, 10:89, 770); Zane Claasen (U17 100m, 11:35, 759); Aidan Touhy (100m, 10:98, 753); Remano Felix (400m) 49:63, 746); Keano Domingo (U17 1 500m, 4:18:48, 743 Female: Marga Cumming (hammer throw, 58.15, 945); Ischke Senekal (discus 53.01m, 932); Tamlyn Leonard (U19 hammer throw, 46.10, 908); Dane Coetzer (U17 hammer throw, 44.65m, 907); Tiane Oelofse (U17 hammer throw, 42.36m, 892); Ilke van Vuuren (U19 discus, 39.97m, 884); Colleen Brown (U15 discus, 33.12m, 841); Trinika Brink (U15 shot put, 14.44m, 828); Monique Warner (U15 discus, 31.57m, 815); Mignon van Vuuren (U15 discus, 31.47m, 813)