Local runners conquer Elands Marathon in Mbombela

The Benoni Northerns Athletic Club’s (BNAC) Nico Pretorius was the first athlete from the club at the finish line, and Boksburg Athletic Club’s (BAC) Anacelia Goncalves claimed top honours for her club at the scenic TRAC N4 Elands Marathon in Mbombela on April 22.

Running in the scrambled egg and tomato sauce colours of the BNAC, Pretorius clocked 02:58:12 to finish the 42.2km race in 29th place overall and 17th in the men’s senior category.

Goncalves finished fifth in the women’s 50-59 category after clocking 03:46:33 to become the 31st woman to cross the finish line.

Pretorius’ teammate Marc Daniel was the 30th man at the finish after completing his race in 02:58:55. He finished 31st overall and 18th in the senior category.

Kirsten Willis was the first woman from the BNAC to cross the finish line. She clocked 03:49:22 to finish 36th in the women’s category.

Ultra-marathoner Kirsty Roux was the 44th woman at the finish and also claimed a 19th-place finish in the women’s senior category.

The club’s Robyn Allen finished in the top 50 in the women’s category after clocking 03:54:58 to finish in fourth.

Other best performers from the Boksburg and Benoni included Perry Todd from the BNAC, who finished second in the grandmaster’s category and the BAC’s Brian Walstroom, who claimed fifth in the same category.

Thousands of runners took part in this Comrades Marathon qualifier that started at Laerskool Oosterlijn in Waterval Boven. The course took the runners down the escarpment through the Waterval Boven tunnel and finished at the Sappi Skills Centre in Ngodwana.

Samuel Mathabatha won the men’s elite race in a time of 02:17:13. Elizabeth Potter claimed the women’s race after cutting the ribbon in 02:58:19.

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