ALBERTON – Last weekend’s Washie 100 ultra-marathon over 160 km or originally the 100 miler from Port Alfred to East London, where a full Alberton team competed, brought back memories of that day when an Alberton man won this prestige ultra-marathon exactly 20 years ago.
In a stroll down memory lane, let’s go to the Weekend Post in the Eastern Cape, which picked up the story in its July 23, 1994 edition. Under the heading “From near collapse to Washie winner”, the paper reported about Andries and Alberton Athletics Club biggest feat as follows:
“Alberton’s Andries Venter (31) won the 18th Washie road run from Port Elizabeth to East London in a time of 15:21. This was his first run in the Washie 100 miler. Andries was second to Ashley Mentoor of Umtiza Road running club at the halfway mark. Mentoor’s time at the halfway mark was 6:55:32 and Andries nine minutes behind him in 07:04:37”.
Andries completely eradicated the deficit to convert it in one of the best ultra-marathon victories of all times by an Alberton athlete.
With 30 Comrades medals behind his name and also overall victory in the Golden Reef 160 km in 1993 and Golden Reef runner-up in 1991, Andries is a cut above the rest in the world of ultra -marathon running!