Locals conquer the mighty marathon
The 2014 Comrades Marathon has come and gone and the runners who took on the down run challenge, from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, will be nursing their aches and pains for a while to come.
A number of runners from Benoni’s athletics clubs braved the 89.28km race and, while some did not make it to the finish, others fought tooth and nail to get to the end and earn the coveted medals.
Benoni Harriers Athletics Club’s Mosongo Mokoatsi was the first local to reach the finish line, completing the race in a time of six hours, 27 minutes and 34 seconds, while Benoni Northerns Athletics Club’s Gregory Bishop finished in a time of six hours, 37 minutes and 38 seconds.
Further silver medals went to Benoni Northerns’ Linda Myathaza, Paul Pitco, Shaun Winkler, Sanyana Bhuda, Themba Msibi and Dieter Stapel.
Fanie Mphuthi was the second Harriers runner to take silver, behind Mokoatsi, while Daveyton Athletic Club’s Johnny Mokhoko went one better than last year, when he earned a Bill Rowan medal (for finishing in under nine hours), and won silver.
Stephen Msimango, one of Northerns’ development runners, was the first local runner to earn a Bill Rowan medal for Benoni in Comrades 2014.
More Bill Rowan medals were earned by Northerns’ Toni Da Matta, Norman Milne, Reginald Khanyi, Motlatsi Mohlamonyane, Enock Mohodi, Klaas Maseogane, Thapedi Mogafe, Eric Ladbrooke, Zandile Detsego, Malcolm Vining, William John Winterton, Mark Pattle, Derek Wright, Golden Ndlamlenze and Christian Popela; Harriers runners Philimon Mbokazi and Solomon Mngomezulu, and Elijah Nkosi, from Daveyton Athletics Club.
The most dramatic part of any Comrades Marathon is the 12-hour cut off, with desperate and tired runners fighting to get to the finish, to get their hands on the final medal up for grabs, the Vic Clapham medal.
Jaun Zotter, from Northerns, showcased the true spirit of Comrades by helping a fellow shattered and broken runner cross the line within the final minutes.
Sharon Olinger was the final local runner to cross the line, finishing just 41 seconds under the 12-hour mark.
Another fantastic tale from Comrades 2014 was that of Rynfield’s Mark “Muddy” Ferreira, who completed the ultra-marathon the day after a 10-day cycle for the Unogwaja Challenge, from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg.
Running in the colours of Benoni Northerns, Muddy finished the marathon in 11 hours, 52 minutes and 39 seconds, a remarkable achievement after an epic journey.
Results can be found at www.comrades.com
