Ncube the faster Comrades runner in Bedfordview and Edenvale
Bedfordview's Professor Ncube was the fastest runner from the Bedfordview and Edenvale areas at this year's Comrades Marathon.
Bedfordview Counctry Club Athletic Section’s Professor Ncube was the fastest runner from the Bedfordview and Edenvale areas at this year’s Comrades Marathon, finishing the race in a time of 6:31:53.
He was followed by K-Way Jeppe Athletic Club’s Justin Brink, who finished in 90th overall position in a time of 6:39:23.
Bedfordview
Ncube was followed by Mashudu Samuel Mmbengeni with a time of 7:00:48 and Mark Chatham who finished in 7:09:29.
Bedfordview had 58 runners take on the up-run and finishing in under 12 hours.
The year’s race also saw Bedfordview equal it’s all-time record of six silver medals awarded to those runners who completed the up-run under seven hours and 30 minutes.
Seven runners secured Bill Rowan medals after finishing under nine hours.
Ten more runners were awarded Robert Mtshali medals for finishing under 10 hours.
Bedfordview’s Jacquelin Bunge, on the back of Ironman 2019, was the heroine in Bedfordview’s women’s field as she finished in a time of 9:39:07.
Impressively, Rob Wilke (9:43:18) achieved his green number for his 10th Comrades, while Power Mudzunga completed his 25th race in a time of 8:58:07.
Runners who achieved their personal best times at the Comrades were Mmbengeni, Chatham, Marco de Stefano, Leanne Voerman and Warren Montano.
Jeppe
Jeppe held its own as the club produced 136 finishers with five runners not finishing the race.
Kim Pain completed her 30th race, while Danny Mills, Anthony Jeffrey and Mlungisi Khumalo each finished a 10th race, bagging the green number in the process.
The men were led by Brink, whose time went down as the fastest for the club in recent times.
Other silver medalists were Karl Quinn (7:08:37), Mistake Moffat (7:15:12), Themba Malgas (7:18:34), Dean Matteucci (7:25:17) and Gary Smith (7:25:17), to make it a total of six silver medals for the club.
The Jeppe women were led home by Gwen Muller in a time of 8:43:09, followed closely behind by Leanne Mackay with a time of 8:48:21.
The third woman to cross the finish line was Leanne Grobler with a time of 8:50:58.
Jeppe had 20 novice finishers and a further 29 runners who claimed back-to-back medals for consecutive Comrades finishes.
Ultimately, Jeppe teams secured six silver, 20 Bill Rowan, 33 Robert Mtshali, 31 bronze and 46 Vic Claphams medals in an exceptional Comrades 2019 outing.
Greenstone
Greenstone Hill Running Club had 10 athletes who finished in under nine hours to secure Bill Rowan medals.
Top five in this group were Chad Costa, who clocked an impressive time of 8:16:13; Tyrone Goddard finished in a time of 8:25:37; Woshen Naidoo 8:38:03; Nicolene De Jong 8:38:53 and Nadia Groenewald 8:40:35.
Five Greenstone runners secured the Robert Mtshali medal, while seven runners claimed bronze.
The Vic Clapham medal went to 21 athletes, who despite finishing in over 11 hours, mustered all the guts and glory needed to complete The Ultimate Human Race.
The Greenstone women’s team clocked a combined time of 36:34:49 to secure an overall finish of 12 from 106 open women’s teams.
Individual race times saw de Jong being the first woman from this club to cross the finish line followed by Groenewald.
Kirsten Lloyd and Bronwyn Boswell finished with times of 8:53:07 and 10:22:14, respectively.
RRW
Edenvale Rand Road Warriors had three runners achieve Bill Rowan medals.
The first Edenvale runner to cross the finish line was Rui De Matos with a time of 8:28:24.
He was followed by the club’s first woman to cross the finish line, Holly Thomas, who finished in a time of 8:28:24.
Ian Horn came in third for RRW in a time of 8:53:20.
Edenvale had 12 runners achieve Robert Mtshali medals and five athletes obtained bronze.
Fit 2000
Fit 2000 Bedfordview produced two Bill Rowan medalists.
The club’s first runner in was Bradley Oakley-Brown (8:48:54), followed by Molepo Alfred Ramohlale (8:52:11).
Robert Mtshali medalists were Charles Mbokazi (9:14:40) and Victor Ntshingila (9:30:04).
Chris Jase obtained a bronze medal with a time of 10:35:59.
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