Local athletes perform well at Comrades Marathon

The more than 200 local athletes who participated in the 93rd Comrades Marathon between Pietermaritzburg and Durban on Sunday attained mixed success.
Pietersburg Road Runners (PRR) Chairperson Jacques van Blerk said their participants were overall satisfied although it was tough race. “All our entrants completed the race and we are very proud of Martinique Potgieter’s silver medal after finishing 22nd overall in the women’s open category in a time of 7:41.35. This is truly a name spectators can expect to see on the gold medallists list for next year,” he said.
PRR athletes Peter Muthubi and Timothy Munzhelele finished 40th and 63rd respectively in the open category for men. Geneva Raphahla finished 48th in the women’s open category while Matime Mashabela finished seventh in the men’s category 50 to 59 years.
Polokwane Athletic Club (PAC) Chairperson Corrie Calitz agreed that it had been a tough race but that a number of their members had done well. David Kubjana finished sixth in the men’s 60+ category while Pelly Lamola entered the finish shoot 36th in the men’s open category in a time of 6:23.10. Pearl Hughes earned a 37th place in the women’s open category while Pienas Magashule finished 55th in the men’s 50 to 59 category.
This year’s Comrades was won for the second consecutive year by Bongmusa Mthembu in a time of 5:26.34, a nine minute improvement on his time of 2017. Ann Ashworth was the first women runner to cross the finish line in a time of 6:10.04.

Story: RC Myburgh
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