Biggest ever field runs Slow-Mag Marathon
The 23rd running of the Slow-Mag Marathon took place on the morning of Sunday, April 26, where 7 000 eager road warriors hit the streets of Benoni.
This number made the 2015 version of the race, organised by Benoni Northerns Athletic Club (BNAC) the biggest field yet and was, according to race organiser Jan Jordaan, a huge success.
A thousand runners took on the 5km run, 1 450 ran the 10km route, 2 040 ran the 21km half-marathon, 1 650 took on the 42km main marathon and 800 runners entered the 50km ultra marathon.
It was Bedfordview Athletic Club’s Sam Bolo who claimed first place in the 42km main marathon.
The runner crossed the line in a time of two hours, 30 minutes and one second.
Bolo had a huge gap of 15 minutes over second-place finisher Siyavuya Thomas (Airports Company South Africa).
Solomon Khumalo of Carlton was third in the 42km marathon with a time of two hours, 47 minutes and 24 seconds.
SAPG Athletic Club’s Duduzile Zulu was the first woman finisher in the 42km race with a time of three hours, 16 minutes and 15 seconds.
This year marked the fourth running of the 50km ultra marathon and it was Nedbank Running Club’s Lympson Maifo who would win the open race in a time of three hours and 42 seconds with Raphael Ndlovu (ACSA) the runner-up with a time of three hours, seven minutes and 45 seconds.
Runavation’s Salome Cooper was the women’s open 50km winner with a finishing time of three hours, 44 minutes and 14 seconds, followed by Boksburg Athletic Club’s Lindy-Lee Folsher in second with a time of three hours, 53 minutes and 41 seconds.
Phillimon Mathiba (Nedbank) was the first open man home in the 21km half-marathon with a time of 66 minutes and 15 seconds, while Cornelia Joubert (also Nedbank) was the first open women runner home in the 21km race with a time of 75 minutes and 31 seconds.
Lucky Mtshali (Olifantsfontein) was the first open men’s finisher of the 10km race with a time of 31 minutes and 48 seconds, while Rachel Leistra (Fitness for Africa) was the first open women’s runner home in the 10km with a time of 40:38.
“We [BNAC] have had such positive comments about this year’s race,” said Jordaan.
“What makes this race so easy to organise is that we have such competent people at this club.
“Everybody just does their jobs so well,” he added.
Full results from the 2015 Slow-Mag Marathon:
50km
Men
Open 1 Lympson Maifo (Nedbank) 3:00:42; 2 Raphael Ndlovu (ACSA) 3:07:45; 3
Thando Ngcobo (Nedbank) 3:14:26; 4 Buhle Mhlongo (Carlton) 3:14:52; 5 Peter
Remoloto (BCC) 3:15:34
Veterans 1 Petros Mbogazi (Carnival City) 3:23:32
Masters 1 Stewart McCall (Turn 2 God) 3:32:11
Grandmasters 1 Johan Nel (Irene) 4:31:07
Women
Open 1 Salome Cooper (Runavation) 3:44:14; 2 Lindy-Lee Folsher (Boksburg)
3:53:41; 3 Lesley Train (Krugersdorp) 4:07:33; 4 Mitsie vd Westhuizen
(Runavation) 4:13:23; 5 Anel Vorster (Irene) 4:14:20
Veterans 1 Lesley Train (Krugersdorp) 4:07:33
Masters 1 Val Watson (Runavation) 4:36:10
Grandmasters 1 Petra Myburgh (Striders) 5:51:51
42km
Men
Open 1 Sam Bolo (BCC) 2:30:01; 2 Siyavuya Thomas (ACSA) 2:45:01; 3 Solomon
Khumalo (Carlton) 2:47:24; 4 James Leseyane (RAC) 2:50:09; 5 Reginald
Poopedi (ACRW) 2:50:18
Veterans 1 Solomon Khumalo (Carlton) 2:47:24
Masters 1 Bernard Mosala (Carlton) 3:00:55
Grandmasters 1 Les Ivings (Carltonville) 3:30:35
Women
Open 1 Duduzile Zulu (SAPG) 3:16:15; 2 Enie Molatseli (Ekurhuleni) 3:20:31;
3 Vanessa Bowman (Kempton) 3:22:09; 4 Paula Quinsee (Born 2 Run) 3:30:29; 5
Melanie Jones (Jeppe) 3:33:54
Veterans 1 Vanessa Bowman (Kempton) 3:22:09
Masters 1 Thembeka Ketsekie (Ukhozi) 3:57:55
Grandmasters 1 Francis van Blerk (Nedbank) 4:19:31
21km
Men
Open 1 Phillimon Mathiba (Nedbank) 66:15; 2 Prince Jali (Take it Easy)
68:53; 3 Don Ndlovu (Cool Running) 69:17
Veterans 1 Simon Mph olo (Nedbank) 70:38
Masters 1 Reform Ndlovu (Randburg) 78:02
Grandmasters 1 Francis Makuka (Phobians) 85:51
Walkers 1 Lebeauf von Benecke (RWFL) 1:54:25
Women
Open 1 Cornelia Joubert (Nedbank) 75:31; 2 Nolene Conrad (Boxer) 81:52; 3
Mpho Mabuza (Gallopers) 82:08
Veterans 1 Linah Mhlongo (Eskom) 91:38
Masters 1 Mariet Geyer (Benoni High) 1:42:14
Grandmasters 1 Debbie Blake (Runavation) 1:56:07
Walkers 1 Cheryl Everitt (Discovery) 2:34:12
10km
Men
Open 1 Lucky Mtshali (Olifantsfontein) 31:48; 2 Tumisani Monnatlala
(Nedbank) 32:28; 3 Creel Chavalale (Take it Easy) 32:40
Women
Open 1 Rachel Leistra (FFA) 40:38; 2 Rochelle Moses (Nedbank) 42:52; 3
Precious Hlaka (Nedbank) 43:33
