Lesotho’s Seutloali could be a good outside bet for Cape Town Marathon win

KHOARAHLANE SEUTLOALI is not bothered that his name is not on the list of the elite field for Sunday’s Sanlam Cape Town Marathon. Far from it, for the Maxed Elite athlete from Lesotho would rather pounce from under the radar.

“It suits me just fine that I am one of the unknowns for Sunday’s race,” Seutloali told Independent Media from Lesotho yesterday. Unknown? How can he consider himself unknown, when only last year he finished third at the Soweto Marathon?

The discerning road running follower will also be aware of Seutloali’s impressive run in the Old Mutual Two Oceans half marathon earlier this year where he finished a good second.

Of course the marathon is a different beast.

And his personal best of 2.23, attained on debut at Soweto, pales into insignificance compared to the times of the rest of the elite who will be competing at the continent’s first and only IAAF Gold Label race.

Seutloali’s confidence, however, stems mainly from his brilliant performances in the half marathons where he has already run 62 minutes on two occasions.

“I had a good run in PE where I finished number five and I was number three in another race in Mariztburg. I have since been hard at training for Sanlam and I really believe I can spring a surprise. I am aiming to run a sub 2.10,” explained the man who will be making his Cape Town Marathon debut.

The general talk ahead of Sunday’s race though is for the athletes to try and break Asefa Negewo’s 2.08.41 record set last year.

Does Seutloali have what it takes to get into the mix with the likes of Kenyans Laban Mutai (2.08.01) and Samuel Maswai (2.08.51) as well as Eritrean Seboka Nigusse (2.09.14) and South Africa’s Lungile Gongca, who won the full Two Oceans? “To me, anything is possible. I don’t look at who is the competition because I believe if they can bring it on, I also can bring it on. We will just meet at the start and show each other who is better.

“I’ve trained hard and I believe in myself and my abilities. I really think I can win. If the pace-setters push us for 2.07 I know I will be there with those who go for it.”

Seutloali believes that having taken on the ‘harder’ Soweto Marathon route and shone as he did, the Cape Town Marathon should not hold any fears for him.

“Soweto Marathon was a lot harder. It had lots of corners and many ups and down, and we all know how well I did. In Cape Town, the route is flat and fast, not so challenging.”

And the fact that he has had his training in the harsher environment of hilly and high altitude Lesotho for a race at sea level adds to his confidence.

“Up here it is very tough but I’ve been running my 42km in good times and I know it will pay off in Cape Town.”

While three of his teammates, Mthimkhulu Hatasi, Neheng Khatala and Jobo Khatoane will also be in the race, Seutloali does not necessarily see that as some kind of advantage for him.

“We don’t train together so I can’t really say how we will help each other at the race. But we are going to meet up in Cape Town and see if we can devise any strategy to give our team an advantage over the others.”