Teboho Sello on his way to Soweto Marathon success (© Mark Ouma)
Victories by Teboho Sello and Mamarolla Tjoka today (4) ensured Lesotho’s continued grip on the top honours at the Nedbank Soweto Marathon for the third consecutive year.
Both winners run conservatively until the last ten kilometres. In an unprecedented clean sweep, Lesotho claimed the top five places in the men’s contest. Tjoka carried the day in the women’s event for the third year in a row.
MEN
The steady down pour shortly after the starters’ gun went off, did not deter the enthusiasm with which thousands of runners set off from Soweto’s Elkah Stadium. Determined to reclaim the men’s title for the first time in seven years, a South African contingent settled into the early lead.
Besides South Africa’s 1996 Atlanta Olympic champion Josiah Thugwane, the group included Themba Miya, George Mofokeng, Brain Malinga, Simon Mpholo and Colin Khoza. Lesotho’s team of Sello, Orarinyana Lebopo (the defending champion Mabuthile Lebopo’s younger brother), Lebenya Nkoka, Thabiso Moeng and 2005 Soweto champion Tsotang Maine stayed in contact.
The lead group passed through 10km in 32:14, the half way stage in 1:09:00 and 30km in 1:39:42. As the pace slackened through the hills in Dube and Meadowlands, the Basotho made their first surge at 32km. Khoza responded taking the lead while his compatriots fell off the pace.
Sello made his move at 34km taking Lebenya, Lebopo, Maine, and Moeng. The Basotho runners surged as their South African peers gradually fizzled. Sello won in 2:18:51. He was followed by Lebopo (2:19:06), Nkoka (2:19:28), Moeng (2:19:37) and Maine(2:20:38).
“Initially our aim was to take the top ten places. That plan was affected when Mabuthile Lebopo (the defending champion) withdrew from the race last month owing to a leg injury. Our strategy has been to train as a team so that at least one of us win the event,” Sello revealed.
“This course has tough hills and one needs to run an intelligent race to finish in the top five. I felt comfortable throughout the race because I was always with my training partners,” said runner-up Lebopo, who was competing in this race for only his second time.
WOMEN
Meanwhile the women’s race followed a similar pattern. The lead group over the first 25 km consisted of South Africans Catherine Nkosi, Gloria Baeba, Louisa Leballo and Riana van Niekerk, Zimbabwe’s Samukaliso Moyo and Russia’s Comrades Ultra Marathon Champion Olesya Nurgalieva. Their challenge was to wrest the title from two-time winner and defending champion Mamarolla Tjoka.
At 30km Tjoka increased her tempo taking Moyo with her. As the gap with the lead chase group grew, Tjoka made her move at 34km and went onto win in 2:47:57. Moyo (2:49:50) Nurgalieva (2:50:44) and Nkosi (2:52:37) followed.
“I had to run carefully because Olesya was new to this race. As the Comrades Marathon champion, I expected her to be the main challenge. By 30km when I saw the pace was slowing down I decided to surge. I did not want to be surprised with a late challenge,” said Tjoka.
“This was a tricky race with such s credible champion so I started out cautiously,” said Moyo. The winner of the Cape Town Marathon in July she admitted this was a tougher race.
“This Soweto course is quite tough towards the end so I reserved something for the finish,” said a delighted runner-up, Moyo.
Mark Ouma for the IAAF
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