Marathon queen off to Hannover, via Soweto

SOUTH African mid-distance specialist Mapaseka Makhanya, says she is ready to take on the competition in her favourite race, the Nike Soweto Marathon, and hopes to be among the top finishers in the 21km race tomorrow.

“I’m so excited about being part of this historic race,” Makhanya said yesterday.

“For the first time ever, the race has a halfmarathon event and I know there’s a great chance of me winning, but at the moment I’m pushing for a top three finish.

“I’ll be running against South Africa’s top female athletes like René Kalmer, Rutendo Nyahora and Irvette van Zyl, so it’s going to be very interesting as I’m used to running against them over the 10km distance.”

The 2013 SA Sports Woman of the Year burst onto the road running scene with victories over 10km in the Spar Women’s Challenge series.

Her victories in Durban and Pretoria put her ahead of the pack last year and she was crowned 2013 Grand Prix champion after finishing top of the log with 105 points.

She also won her first marathon last year, improving the women’s course record by six minutes in the Gauteng Marathon.

This year, she improved her personal best by 30 seconds in the same marathon, finishing second in two hours, 36 minutes and 36 seconds.

Tomorrow she competes in her third half-marathon, a race she described as a training race for her first overseas marathon.

“The Soweto Marathon is my last big race for the year and after Sunday I’ll be building up for my big race. I will be running the Hannover Marathon next year, which will be my first inter national marathon and I’m really looking forward to it.”

The Soweto Marathon was cancelled last year due to a lack of funds and returns to the Johannesburg township where over 21 000 runners are expected to take part.

The event features 42km, 21km and 10km races, with the elite field promising some exciting competition.

The 42km men’s race is headlined by 2012 defending champion and course record holder Shadrack Kemboi of Kenya, 2012 Comrades Marathon champion Ludwick Mamabolo and for mer Soweto Marathon winner Teboho Sello.

In the women’s 42km event, seven-time winner of the race Mamorallo Tjoka from Lesotho returns to defend her title.

Charné Bosman, the first SA woman to cross the finish line at the 2013 Comrades Marathon, will miss tomorrow’s race because of a hip injury.

Bosman said she was disappointed with the way her season had gone, but would regroup and focus on next year’s Comrades.

“On Monday they’ ll have a look at the inflammation and I would rather rest and make sure I recover well because my main focus is doing well at the Comrades next year,” she said.

The race starts and finishes at Nasrec and will take the field via Walter Sisulu Square, past the home of former President Nelson Mandela on Vilakazi Street and past the Hector Peterson Memorial. – Sapa