Defending champion Stephen Mokoka once again showed why he is South Africa’s premier marathoner as he claimed a third win in the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon.
The Olympian and multiple SA Champion broke the tape in 2:09:58, three seconds faster than his winning 2:10:01 last year, and the fourth-fastest winning time in the race’s history.
Second position went to Ethiopian Derseh Kindie Kassie in 2:11:26, with his countryman Dagnachew Adere Maru outsprinting Kenya’s Raymond Kipchumba Choge to take third place, 2:11:52 to 2:11:55.
In the women’s race, Meseret Dinke Meleka of Ethiopia took line honours in 2:24:02, smashing the 2:25:44 record (run in 2021 by Lydia Simiyu), and also breaking her personal best (PB) of 2:25:12.
Second over the line was Kenyan Tecla Kirongo in 2:27:56 - also setting a new PB (her previous best was 2:28:22) - with another Kenyan, Judith Cherono, taking third in 2:30:32.
The first South African to finish was Stella Marais, clocking 2:38:34 to claim eighth position.
The event featured an elite wheelchair race for the first time, with the athletes setting off 15 minutes before the elite field and adding great excitement to the spirit of the day. The men’s race was dominated by American Aaron Pike.
After initially breaking away from the rest of the pack with South Africa’s Ernst van Dyk, the American pulled clear to win in 1:40:15, just under four minutes clear of his great friend and rival, who came home in 1:44:02.
Third place went to Mexico’s Martin Velasco Soria in 1:46:43.
The women’s wheelchair race came down to a thrilling sprint finish, with Brazil’s Vanessa Cristina De Souza having to dig deep to win in 1:57:48, just one second ahead of Noemi Alphonse of Mauritius (1:57:49).
Third place was claimed by British veteran Shelly Woods in 1:46:43
MOKOKA COMPLETES HIS HAT-TRICK
In the elite race, the leading men ran conservatively in the first half of the race, passing halfway in 1:05:36, with Stephen Mokoka biding his time near the front of the lead pack until the 32km mark.
He then made his move and steadily increased his lead over the last 10km – he was 21 seconds clear of second-placed Kassie at 35km, and just over a minute clear at 40km.
He says, “This was a tough, tough course. Normally at 25km you start enjoying a marathon, but at 28km today, we climbed that hill in District Six and it got really hard for a while, but overall I really enjoyed the race. I really hope this race does become an Abbott World Marathon Majors race, and I hope that government, corporates and runners all get involved to make it happen.”
Mokoka set a 50km World Record earlier this year in Gqeberha, and that mark was broken just a few weeks before the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon.
When asked what today’s win means to him, compared to other wins and records, Mokoka says, “I am delighted to win in Cape Town for a third time. I have won races overseas, too, but this is still special. Records are meant to be broken, but titles stay forever, and this win means more to me than just running a fast time. It’s also about the memories of our runs.”
Second-placed Derseh Kindie Kassie says that he had an incredible race, really enjoying all the support along the route from spectators, and even though he tried to keep up with Mokoka, he had to bend the knee to the South African.
“Up to 32km the group was alternating positions a lot, so it was an exciting race, but when Stephen broke away, I had to accept that I am the underdog here. Stephen has run and won here before, he knows the route much better, where to run the shortest route and where to push the pace, and eventually I had to give up trying to catch him.”
To put the exciting sprint for third place in the men’s race into perspective, one has to take into account that around halfway, Danachew Adere Maru was struggling with cramps.
“It was my debut marathon, and I suffered cramps at around 21km, so I am thankful that I recovered and came through to take third place. I am very satisfied and proud of my race.”
MESERET LIVES UP TO FAVOURITE TAG
A leading pack of eight runners dominated the first half of the women’s elite race, with six Ethiopians and two Kenyans out front, led by Meseret Dinke Meleka. She came into the race as the fastest marathoner in the field according to PB, and used her pace and strength to constantly throw in little surges to break the other runners.
By the time the group reached halfway, in 1:12:11, it had been whittled down to five runners, and then Meleka blew the race wide open as she surged clear.
By 30km, she was more than two minutes ahead of the next runner, extending the gap to three-and-a-half minutes by 40km. Her winning margin was eventually three minutes 54 seconds.
“I enjoyed the race thoroughly, but unfortunately I had to do it by myself. When you run by yourself it is so difficult to control your pacing, but I managed. Of course, I am incredibly happy that I ran a personal best, and even more happy about the R100 000 bonus for a new record!” says Meleka, but adds, “I am partially fulfilled, because I was planning to do even better. If everything had been perfect, I had hoped to run a 2:20 or 2:21. The course was a little tougher than other international races, but I was running within myself, and felt confident that I could keep a consistent pace till the end.”
For her part, second-placed Tecla Kirongo says, “I am also very happy with my personal best, and I really like it here in Cape Town. I think I want to remain here!” Her countrywoman, third-placed Judith Cherono, also says that she enjoyed the race.
“The route was good, the weather was good, and the support was good. I enjoyed my run, even though the course was tough at times.”