Size doesn’t count ...

Intense Two Oceans rivalry aside, Zim’s Fokoroni is one of the favourites

THE OLD Mutual Two Oceans Marathon will showcase Africa’s finest ultra-distance athletes this weekend in what has effectively become the African Ultra-Marathon championships.

The intense rivalry among many of the continent’s top distance-running countries comes to a head on Saturday in the world’s most beautiful marathon, with five African marathon superpowers going head-to-head around the classic clockwise circuit through Muizenberg to Fish Hoek, across the Peninsula to Noordhoek and then over Chappies and Constantia Nek before the finish on the “Green Mile” at the University of Cape Town.

While the Oceans contest and rewards are primarily about individual excellence over the challenging 56km course, there is little doubt that inter-country rivalry has strengthened in recent years and national pride has become one of the foremost elements of the Cape’s great foot race.

No fewer than 27 African countries – exactly half the number of African states – will be competing at the Two Oceans, out of a total of 87 countries world-wide competing in the race. But, while the likes of neighbouring Namibia and Botswana boast significant numbers, just five nations are expected to be involved in the battle for supremacy up front – South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ethiopia and Lesotho.

It would come as a surprise if athletes from these countries did not dominate the podium and gold medal positions.

Lesotho is the smallest, both by geographical area and population but with regards Two Oceans, has consistently demonstrated that size does not matter, their athletes dominating podium places on four occasions in the past six years.

Typically, the “Mountain Kingdom” marathoners run tactically, largely as a team and coming from behind, taking control of the race in the latter stages. They did so superbly in 2014 and 2015, but misjudged the pace last year and left it too late, allowing the Zimbabweans to stay out in front to the finish. Mike Fokoroni,

took line honours with compatriot Collen Makaza close behind in second.

While athletes from Lesotho and Zimbabwe, in particular, run together in team formation, South Africans tend to be more “club-conscious” or run as individuals, to the detriment of runners from south of the Limpopo. Their successes, such as George Ntshiliza’s win in 2011 and David Gatebe and Mthandazo Qhina’s great 1-2 in 2013, have been sporadic and often unexpected.

Kenya and Ethiopia are the real powerhouses of distance running in Africa, but have yet to explode on the global ultra-marathon circuit. Kenyan John Wachira’s win in 2009 has not been followed by further success from the Great Rift Valley countries, although there has been a gradual increase in their gold medal success in recent years, in particular in the women’s competition.

There is a school of thought that it is a matter of time before Kenya and Ethiopia plunder the majority of the Two Oceans spoils and Saturday could see the likes of Ethiopia’s Kebeda Dinke (9th last year) and Kenyans Moses Kurgat (2:09:30 marathon best) and Melly Kennedy contest the top placings.

But more likely, Kenya and Ethiopia’s glory days at Oceans lie in the future, and Saturday’s podium positions will be taken by athletes from Zimbabwe, Lesotho and possibly South Africa. Fokoroni and Makaza tasted success last year and will be eager for more, and are in better condition this time around.

The 56km ultra-marathon gets under way from Newlands Main Road at 6.40am, preceded by the half-marathon at 6am. The first half-marathoners are expected home just after 7am, with the ultra-marathon winner likely to break the tape shortly after 9.45am. FACE-TO-FACE: Britain’s IBF heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua, left, and his Ukrainian and former world heavyweight champions Wladimir Klitschko will fight in front of an expected 90 000 strong crowd at Wembley at the end of the month.