Gauteng North can make a clean sweep at the SA Half Marathon Championships
With several local athletes among the favourites in the men's and women's races, Gauteng North can once again walk away with both titles at the SA Half Marathon Championships this weekend.
South Africa’s top road runners will be in action on Saturday when they line up for national titles at the ASA Half-Marathon Championships, which has been incorporated in the Nelson Mandela Bay Half-Marathon in Port Elizabeth.
On a fairly flat course known for its breath-taking sea views, fast times are expected as runners welcome back the pounding sound of the tarmac.
National record holder Stephen Mokoka from Gauteng North starts as the favourite to defend his title in the men’s race and will aim to continue his dominance on SA roads when he spearheads a strong men’s field at the event, which has been limited to elite athletes due to Covid 19 restrictions.
Mokoka finished 5th at the World Half-Marathon Championships held in Gdynia, Poland in 2020 where he clocked 59min 48sec to smash 15 seconds off his own national half-marathon record of 2019.
His strongest challenge is expected to come from in-form Precious Mashele, who won the SA 5 000m title at the ASA Senior Track & Field Championships in Pretoria two weeks ago.
Photo: Supplied
Along with Mokoka, who has already qualified for the marathon at this year’s Tokyo Olympic Games, fellow qualifiers Elroy Gelant – who finished 2nd at this event in 2021 in 1.01.00 and Desmond Mokgobu will also be eager to put up a fight in preparation for the global showpiece. Other contenders in the race include Mbuleli Mathanga and Collen Mulaudzi.
Another hard-fought contest is expected in the women’s race.
Fresh off their impressive performances at the Xiamen Marathon Tuscany Camp Global Elite race in Italy, where they both dipped under 2:29:00 earlier this month, national marathon record holder Gerda Steyn and experienced campaigner Irvette van Zyl, have both been included in the entry lists in Port Elizabeth.
They will have their hands full, however, against a line-up which includes Glenrose Xaba, who recently retained her SA 10 000m title on the track and holds a half-marathon personal best of 1:09:26.
The field also features Lebo Phalula (3rd in 2019 clocking 1.15.33), who will be eager to spring a surprise against her more fancied compatriots.
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