City hosts Comrades send-off for runners
The send-off gala dinner was hosted at the Peter Mokaba Sports Complex in appreciation of the athletes who will be running the ultramarathon.
POLOKWANE- Of all the races, there is no better stage for heroism than a marathon.”
This is a quote by American physician and athlete George A. Sheehan that Polokwane Mayor, John Mpe left the athletes with as they prepare to take on the 96th Comrades Marathon on Sunday.
On June 2, the Polokwane Municipality hosted a send-off gala dinner for athletes that will take part in the Comrades Marathon on Sunday.
The gala dinner took place at the Peter Mokaba Sports Complex in appreciation of the athletes who will be running the ultramarathon.
He expressed that in every marathon, there is a ‘bus’ which is a group of runners that are led by a ‘bus driver’ with sufficient knowledge and experience of the course to provide a service to get runners to the finish within the cut-off time.
“With support from the business sector, we have secured R5 000 for each one of our five unfailing ‘bus drivers’ namely, BK Matewe, Lucas ‘Lucas Bus’ Seleka, 2012 Comrades winner Ludwick Mamabolo, Maropeng ‘Rocky’ Mojela and Ruphus Photo,” he said.
Athletes from both Polokwane Municipality and Capricorn district will be transported by two luxury buses from Polokwane to Durban and back, courtesy of the city.
These will be made available to those who may not afford the commute, despite having qualified for the race.
Ten Polokwane Municipality employees who qualified for the race also received running shoes and Polokwane-branded tracksuits.
Mpe gave his best wishes to the athletes that will take part in the marathon.
“What is very special about it is that all of you have not only qualified for yourselves, but for the people of the City of Polokwane and the district too as you will be representing their pride and aspirations during the world’s oldest and largest ultramarathon,” he said.
