Mokoka wants a track challenge

STEPHEN Mokoka, one of the three South Africans who have qualified for the Olympic marathon, still has hopes of making it onto the London track rather than the road at the Games.

The versatile 27-year-old is the fastest of the three South African marathon runners, the other two being Coolboy Ngamole and Lusapho April.

Mokoka has also qualified for the 10 000m on the track, having run 27min, 40min, 73sec – five seconds faster than the Olympic requirement – in April.

To ensure selection for the 10 000m, however, he needs a second qualifying time (the marathon requires just one). He is eager to try for one during the current European season and has less than two months in which to do so, with the Olympic qualifying deadline being June 30.

“I am struggling to get races overseas, but my manager is trying very hard to organise something,” said Mokoka, who is due to run in the South African 10km championships in Kimberley this weekend.

Mokoka will use the road race to keep in shape for possible track events in Europe and will be faced with a tough opponent in Kimberley.

Reigning champion Lucky Mohale is not only out to defend his 10km title, but also aims to become only the third South African to break 28min for the distance. Last year he won in 29min, 16sec ahead of Mokoka.

This year Mohale has run only one 10km race, finishing in 29:55. He believes the flat route in Kimberley will put the 32-year-old SA record of 28min, still in the name of the late Mathews Motshwarateu, in danger.

“Bra Loop en Val [Motshwarateu] was one of my favourite athletes of all time,” said Mohale.

If Mokaba qualifies for the 10 000m and opts for that event, it could open the way for Hendrik Ramaala to get into the South African team and attend his fifth Olympic Games. Ramaala is the fourth-fastest of the top South African marathoners but South Africa has restricted its team to only three: Mokoka (2:10:29), Ngamole (2:10:43) and April (2:11:09). Ramaala’s fastest time, run in Dubai in January, is 2:12:12.

The three Olympic women marathon runners are Rene Kalmer (2:29:59), Irvette van Blerk (2:33:41) and Tanith Maxwell (2:36.57).