Charne: Our marathon girls can set Cape record

FORMER COMRADES Marathon champion Charne Bosman believes a new women’s record will be set at this year’s Sanlam Cape Town Marathon.

And she will not be surprised if a South African dipped under the 2.30.20 time set by Kenya’s Isabella Ochichi two years ago.

“I see there’s a lot of girls who have run 2.26 coming to compete. I really think they will set a new record,” said Bosman who has taken up Elana Meyer’s Captains’ Challenge and will be running the race for a charitable course.

“I am running the Mandela Marathon next week as brand ambassador and will be going to Sanlam not really to compete but to raise funds for Forever Heroes which helps underprivileged children to afford sports equipment.

“Of course the Ethiopian girls will be the favourites while the defending champion (Tish Jones of the UK) won’t want to let go of her title easily. But I believe that our own girls have a good chance of winning,” she said in reference to last year’s third placed Lebogang Phalula, Irvette van Zyl and Tanith Maxwell who will be among those carrying the local flag among the women’s elite.

Van Zyl is the faster of the South Africans with her time of 2.31.26 while Phalula lags a bit far behind on 2.38.00 with Maxwell sandwiched in between them with her 2.32.33. While they are good times and close to the record, they look pretty slow in comparison to those of the international elite who will descend on the Mother City for the September 17 race.

Holder Jones’ winning time of 2.33.56 from last year pales into insignificance when placed alongside those of the east African runners who have confirmed their participation in the only African marathon to have the IAAF Gold Label status. Kenya’s Agnes Jepkembpi Kiprop boasts a very fast 2.23.54 while her compatriot Doris Chepkwemoi Changeywo has a 2.31.50.

In between them are Ethiopians Betelhem Moges (2.26.14) and Fantu Eticha (2.28.39) while Germany’s Lisa Hahner is on 2.28.39. – Matshelane Mamabolo