Local runners excel at different road races

The Boksburg Athletic Club (BAC) runner and coach, David Gamede, made light work of the Kaapsehoop Marathon route when he clocked a sub-03:00 in the 42.2km to win the men’s grandmasters category on November 2.

It was a weekend packed with road races with others joining Gamede on the Lowveld while some chose the Waterberg three-in-one race in Bela-Bela on November 2, and one of Africa’s toughest marathons, the Africanbank Soweto Marathon on November 3.

Gamede cut the tape in 02:54:47 to finish 50th overall and first in his category, beating second-placed Jerry Maseko by almost 21 minutes. Maseko clocked 03:15:47 for second place and Mncedisi Dlova completed the podium in 02:25 later.

Johan Meyer was the club’s second male at the finish, completing the race in 03:06:29 while Dieter Meyer crossed the line in 03:22:42.

Wanda Brits was the BAC’s 21st female at the finish after completing the women’s marathon in 03:26:13 and Brian Walstroom was fifth in the men’s grandmasters half-marathon. He finished the race in 01:33:42.

At the Waterberg race, Isaac Mokgola competed in the 21.1km and 10km. He finished seventh overall in the half-marathon and first in the veteran men’s category in 01:26:57, while he crossed the line in 55:51 for eighth place in his category in the 10km.

Mokgola followed that up with another exceptional performance at the Africanbank Soweto Marathon on November 3. He completed the 10km race third in his category in 36:36 while his teammate, Jabulani Ngwenya completed the over-70 men’s half-marathon seventh in 02:34:40.

The Qhubeka Athletic Club’s Sesepe Bonoko was the 31st female at the finish and 12th in the veteran women’s race after crossing the line in 04:02:06.

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