At this year’s Comrades Marathon, Jeppe Quondam runners had 123 finishers in total and a 90 per cent “pass rate”, with only 14 runners who started not finishing.
Derick Marcisz, the Jeppe athletics coach, said Sunday saw the culmination of 22 weeks of training for the 92nd Comrades Marathon (up run).
“The car park at Jeppe was filled to capacity every one of those 22 weeks and most runners stuck with the programme. The results speak for themselves,” said Marcisz.
Although Marcisz was not there to cheer the runners on, he does hope to be there in 2018.
Top finishers from the club were Mistake Moffat, who finished in seven hours and seven minutes, Eddie Ndlovu who finished in seven hours and 19 minutes and Gary Smith, who finished in seven hours and 26 minutes.
They each received a silver award.
Smith now has a total of 23 finishes with 19 silver medals.
“Jeppe always has one ‘near silver’ – this year it was Cephas Ncube, who ran seven hours and 33 minutes, missing out on silver by just four minutes,” said Marcisz.
“The women were led home by Amanda Neves in eight hours and 48 minutes, her first up run and her first Bill Rowan. She was followed by Cynthia Dodo in eight hours and 59 minutes.”
Twenty-six novices from the club finished the Comrades and another 11 received their back-to-back medals.
“These statistics make me really proud and it shows the success of the Jeppe structures and programme.”
The novices were lead home by Michael Lewus (men) in eight hours and 58 minutes and Thandeka Mbuyisa (women) in 10 hours and 11 minutes.
Results for the club include 24 Bill Rowan (with six under eight hours), 60 bronze (with 14 under 10 hours) and 36 Vic Clapham awards.
The green number finishers are 10th Comrades runners David Dikolomela, Steven Masala, Michael Kirkby and Warren Layzell, and 20th Comrades runners were Chrissie Williamson and Jenny Blake.
