Champ in the making
Gongqa takes his ‘second chance’
Hendrick Ramaala believes in second chances and that’s what the veteran marathon runner-cum-coach offered newly-crowned Old Mutual Two Oceans 56km champion Lungile Gongqa.
The two had a huge fallout just before the Rio Olympics in Brazil where Gongqa failed to finish the race.
They reunited in December to plot for the Easter weekend flagship ultra-race that Gongqa clinched in 3:09:43 on Saturday. “He was fired from the group last year because in our training group, if you don’t work hard, we kick you out,” chuckled Ramaala, who trains his charges at the Zoo Lake near Parktown, Johannesburg.
“We welcomed him back because he worked very hard during the festive season.
“He never went home but spent Christmas at my house to focus on training instead.”
Ramaala revealed that they covered up to 200km a week during their build-up to the popular Cape race .
He said the race was just for the tempo since Gongqa, 38, is a 42km marathon runner.
“He’s a speedster and we’ll possibly do the Cape Town Marathon [later this year],” said Ramaala.
“We patched up with Hendrick and he has helped me a lot in terms of sharing his experience in distance running," said Gongqa, who hails from Ngcobo in the Eastern Cape but resides in Khayelitsha in the Mother City.
“My wife has also been supportive because she is also a runner.
“We’re still planning how we are going to invest the prize money [R250 000].”
Jenna Challenor was the first SA woman home at second place (3:47:32), behind winner Maryna Damantsevich of Belarus (3:37:13).