Russian ultra-distance athlete confirms local participation

Current world record holder in the 100 mile track, Oleg Kharitonov has confirmed his presence and participation in the ultra-distance track event to be presented by Pietersburg Road Runners (PRR) on 14 and 15 April at the old Peter Mokaba Stadium.
Kharitonov from Russia set his longstanding record of 11:28.03 on 21 October 2002. His attempt back then was considered impossible because the challenge was to improve the oldest athletics world track record of 11:30:51 over 100 miles held set by Don Ritchie in October 1977. The 2002 race was promoted by the British Road Runners Club who presented the original race at the same venue back in 1977 and put up a prize of 5 000 pounds if anyone broke Ritchie’s world best of 11:30:51.
The fastest 100 mile times prior to 2002 was set by Don Ritchie (11:30:51), Cavin Woodward (11:38.54), Yiannis Kouros (11:52.40 end 11:57.59) and the South African Derek Kay (11:56.56). The world record mark, more than eight minutes clear of second best, was a formidable benchmark. Improving on this time meant that an athlete should run at 4 minute and 17 seconds per kilometre for 161 km.
World athletics was stunned and stood in awe by what was achieved by Kharitonov. He took more than two minutes off the 1977 world record by competing his 100 miles in only 11:28:03. This memorable achievement has sparked Kharintov’s career which saw him being crowed the Comrades champion in 2006 and achieving another six Comrades Marathon gold medals in total.
Johan van der Merwe from Lamtrack, a vehicle fleet management company based in Polokwane, is of the opinion that the only reason why names of South African ultra-athletes do not appear on the sub-12 hour 100 mile list is because local athletes have not received opportunities in the past to participate at 100 mile track events that are presented on international standards. Van der Merwe’s viewpoint on this matter is unfortunately not shared or supported by many critics and athletics statisticians most of whom believe that South African athletes are only able to compete internationally at distances that do not exceed the Comrades mark of 90 km.
Lamtrack wants to confirm Van der Merwe’s theory and subsequently decided not only to invite and pay for six top notch local ultra-athletes who have the credentials “on paper” to run 100 miles in under a time of 12 hours, to offer an incentive of R100 000 for any male and/or female athlete who can improve the current 45 and 35 year standing national 100 mile open records.
“We are committed to leave no stone unturned and will do everything in our power to insuring that our local athletes receive the best possible opportunity to rewrite history and achieve what is yet again considered to be impossible,” Van der Merwe said.
The two most important conditions applicable for athletes to qualify for this large incentive are that Athletics South Africa should recognise the new record/s and the athlete/s should be cleared by SAIDS for being tested negative for the use of illegal substances. The male winner should run under 11:56.56 and the female 16:06.56 in order to qualify for this incentive.
The pinnacle of the excitement should boil down to the half hour before 21:00 on Saturday, 14 April when, if all goes according to plan, the winner of the male 100 mile race is scheduled to finish.
Race director, Colinda Potgieter, invites all residents of Polokwane and surrounding areas to join in this festive occasion at the stadium for what might be history in the making when the oldest national athletics track records might be improved by local athletes in their own hometown.

Story: WILLIE ESTERHUYSEN
>>willie.e@mwebbiz.co.za