Joggers race to the finish line to end MCX
For many runners, last week Saturday was the last opportunity to stretch those legs before they head off to their various holiday destinations.
According to LowMed’s Yolanda Odendaal, the organiser of the Mpumalanga Cultural Xperience, 10- and 21,1-kilometre races, more than 300 athletes gathered at Hoërskool Bergvlam to take part.
“It was the perfect conclusion to the Mpumalanga Cultural Xperience (MCX) which was also hosted,” she said
She added that it was the Department of Sport and Recreation’s first event of its kind, as it initially started out as a fun run. Under the starter’s orders, the race started at Bergvlam. The route then took runners onto R40 towards Barberton before returning to the finish line at the school.
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In the 21,1 kilometers, it was Collin Khoza from the newly established City of Mbombela Marathon Club who took the spoils. He did so in a time of 1:14:02. Second place was hotly contested between Samuel Mathebatha of LowMed and Albert Makhubela of Nkomazi A/C. In the end, however, Mathebatha who was pipped at the post by a mere 41 seconds. Former star of Legogote Villagers, who now runs for Mbombela, was the first veteran to cross the finish line. He took the spoils in 1:20:26.
Joram Sayiya was the first master, Tewei Maree the first grandmaster and Welcome Mabuza the first walker.
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Run Walk for Life’s Madeleine Noeth Whitehair added one more win to her tally, and did so in a very respectable 1:39:30. She was also the first veteran to finish.
Twenty minutes later, Thandeka Mnisi from Nedbank LVCC crossed the finish line followed by Eldorette Boezaart in third.
Sandy Mclagan from Nedbank LVCC was the first master female to finish.
