Madlabane’s winning streak ends
This is the first time he has not won a clubs cross country race since coming second at the nationals in Gqeberha in 2023.
Siyanda Madlabane suffered his first cross-country loss in over a year after finishing in third place at the third CGA Cross Country league meeting in Dobsonville on May 31.
Zulu, as he is affectionately known, won all eight league races, as well as the provincial and national champs, last season. He also showed his class in the season opener on May 3 with an incredible performance at KwaThema Stadium.
However, the wheels came off at the Dobsonville Multipurpose Centre when the improving Atlehang Mokhobo of Worriers of the West (WOW) and Simunye Global’s Neo Nkeane demonstrated that the Benoni Northerns Athletic Club (BNAC) junior athlete is beatable.
The consistent Mokhobo put a dent in Madlabane’s winning streak when he stopped the clock in a dominant 14:37 to win the U14 boys’ 4km race.
Nkeane outsprinted Madlabane on the home straight to take runner-up honours in 15:52, with the national champion crossing the line two seconds later.
Although this was not a loss, Madlabane hasn’t finished a club cross-country race lower than first place since his silver medal at the ASA cross-country national championships in Gqeberha in 2023.
The BNAC junior athlete of the year will take it hard, particularly because his competitors seem to have an edge over him at the moment. It will be interesting to see how he responds in the fourth league meeting in Daveyton, on June 28.
Elsewhere, Bokamoso Nonyane notched his second win of the season with a season’s best 11:42 in the U11 boys’ 3km. Jordan Whittington was ninth in 05:42 in the U8 boys’ 1km race, while Kaden Price clocked 09:12 for ninth in the U10 boys’ 2km.
Kgalalelo Shuping won the U15 4km race in 14:57, while Mheho Mhlongo and Samukelo Msibi were fifth and sixth, respectively.
Matthew Pietrouisti, who runs for Brakpan Club, Irun AC, was first in the U13 boys’ 4km. He won in 15:44.
Meanwhile, Tamica Lloyd led the girls’ charge with third place in the U14 girls’ 4km. She crossed the line in 18:24, while her younger sister, Shayla, was ninth in the U10 2km race, finishing in 10:43.
Zahra-Lee Nelson and Ava Kay Brits finished fourth and sixth in the U8 girls’ 1km race. Nelson clocked 05:50 while Brits crossed the line sixth in 05:56. Tumisang Seroka finished fifth in the U13 girls’ 3km race, clocking 13:34.
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