IN PHOTOS: Kenyans first and second in Jock of the Bushveld Marathon
Local runner Musawenkosi Buthelezi led the race at the halfway mark, but eventually finished third.
Kenyan athletes claimed the first two places in the 2026 Jock of the Bushveld Marathon run from Barberton to Mbombela on Saturday, February 7.
Nedbank Athletics Club’s Jackson Ole Koisenge won the 42.2km race in 02:24:32.
His teammate, Robert Kiprotich Cheleng’a, was second in 02:27:35, and also the 40-49 years category winner.
Musawenkosi Buthelezi of Bella’s Athletics Club took third place in 02:28:00 and was the first Lowvelder to finish.
At the halfway split, Buthelezi (01:12:11) led Cheleng’a by 17 seconds, and was 55 seconds ahead of Koisenge and eventual fourth-place finisher, Mpho Mokoena, of Legend Road Runners.
But the Kenyans had paced themselves well and passed Buthelezi and Mokoena as the two South Africans could simply not match their acceleration.
Nomvula Sithole of Ngodwana Marathon Club won the women’s marathon in 03:07:04.
Marelise Nicolette Retief of Phobians was second in 03:11:21, and Puleng Khumalo of Legend Road Runners third in 03:15:55.
Sithole and Khumalo ran side by side through the 21.1km split in 01:32:15, with Retief two minutes and 45 seconds behind.
Retief, who also won the 40-49 age category, showed her experience and passed the tiring Khumalo. But Sithole stayed
focussed and could not be caught.
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Abednico Mashaba of Uniwisp and Samkele Ngobese of Bellas had an almighty tussle in the half-marathon. But it was Mashaba who claimed the win in 01:09:33, with Ngobese finishing four seconds behind.
Legend Road Runners’ Kathelgo Motseta was third in 01:11:41.
Carien de Bruyn won the women’s 21.1km race. The Legogote Villagers runner clocked 01:43:59.
Lowveld road-running legend, Madeleine Whitehair of Nedbank, 19 years De Bruyn’s senior, claimed second place just 45 seconds later. She was also the 50-59 year category winner. LowMed’s Alexis Badenhorst was third in 01:56:11.
Ngodwana Marathon Club runner Vanessa Mkhabele was in a class of her own in the 10km women’s race. The junior athlete took the win in 00:40:20, two minutes and 20 seconds ahead of Simoné Odendaal of Nedbank LVCC. Nicola Mason was third in 00:44:48.
Tebogo Pulusa clocked a blistering 00:29:20 to win the men’s 10km race.
Two Bella’s athletes, Prince Ndlovu and Thabiso Mashele, were second and third in 00:30:26 and 00:31 27 respectively.
The races were organised and presented by the City of Mbombela Marathon Club.
