Mwahla happy with Two Oceans debut performance
"I didn’t get a PB but I’m incredibly satisfied that I managed to fight until the finish."
Qhubeka AC top runner Kabelo Mwahla fought hard to finish in the top 20 on his Totalsports Two Oceans Half Marathon debut in Cape Town on April 6.
Mwahla found the circular route, which started on Main Road in Newlands and finished at the UCT Rugby Fields, challenging but was happy with his overall performance.
“I’m very happy with what I’ve achieved. It was a good race, although I found the course challenging. But I fought until the finish,” he said.
He ran the first 5km in 16:13 and reached the 10km mark in 33:50 after a 17:37 slog. He then hit the accelerator, covering the next 5km in 16:59 to reach 15km in 50:49.
He battled in the remaining 6km, covering the distance in 19:32, eventually clocking 01:10:21 for 17th in the men’s race.
Although his goal was to finish in the top 10, Mwahla was happy he fought until the end, even when the wheels were coming off on the back end of the race.
“I’m happy with my time. I didn’t get a PB but I’m incredibly satisfied that I managed to fight until the finish. I was expecting a top-10 finish but that didn’t happen. I’m in the top 20 in my first race in Cape Town. It was a good performance.”
Capetonian William Kaptein clinched top honours in 01:04:41 for his first title. Bennet Seloyi, from Thembisa, was two seconds off the pace after finishing the race in 01:04:43, with Lesotho’s Namakhoe Nkhasi rounding up the podium in 01:04:44.
Mercy Jebet of Kenya won the women’s half-marathon in 01:17:06. Nthabiseng Letokotoko (01:19:15) was second, with Busisiwe Chamane third (01:19:38).
Tenza leads by example
Qhubeka was well represented in the event, with chairperson Benzi Tenza leading from the front. He finished the ultra-marathon on April 5, in 06:40:00 flat.
The Sunward Park club had 28 runners in the 56km and 12 in the half-marathon.
Ludumo Majokweni was the club’s first male runner at the finish of the ultra-race. He clocked 05:15:57. Disebo Thebapelo was the first lady after crossing the line in 05:42:59.
Marionè de Beer ran both the ultra and half-marathon. She finished the 56km on April 5 in 05:43:11 and clocked 02:05:20 in the 21.1km the following day for a combined 07:48:31.
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