A PRIZE purse of over R750,000 attracted a huge field of runners to the Durban City Marathon and 10km race this past Sunday, among them the Run Walk For Life (RWFL) contingent from Toti.
Top local and international stars took to the start line in perfect, cool running conditions.
Many experts predicted a very fast time but the winning time of two hours 15 minutes 46 seconds by Ethiopian Daniel Derese was pretty mediocre and nearly five minutes slower than his personal best. The 10km athletes stole the show with Steven Mokoka winning in a superb 28 minutes 33 seconds. This after defending his national title the day before in Pretoria.
RWFL Toti athletes were well represented in both distances, with Shaun Finn first in with a good three hours 28 minutes, Warren Gibson next best in three hours 42 minutes and Edmund Luiz home in four hours and Peter Moodley in five hours 28 minutes. Best of the women marathoners was Mandy Willemse in four hours 31 minutes and Giselle Hall next in five hours 28 minutes. This was only Giselle’s second attempt at the marathon distance.
In the 10km event the women really excelled with Janine Williams first back in 58 minutes, Nellie James in one hour three minutes, Sure Herbst in one hour eight minutes, Francesca Shacklady with one hour 13 minutes and Rene Tupper with a super effort of one hour 16 minutes. Tanya Gibson and Cecilia Brown finished just behind them in one hour 28 minutes.
In the men’s race, RWFL’s Wellington Maweza Msane was first in with a fantastic 59 minutes and Frikkie Wondergem next in one hour eight minutes and Matthys Nawrattel in one hour 15 minutes. A fantastic performance on the day was that of Bianca Nawrattel, who finished the 10km in a time of one hour 25 minutes. Bianca has only recently made the switch from walking to jogging and this is surely the first of many personal best times for this determined young woman.
If you would like to learn how to jog and complete your first 10km race, call Lee or Janine on 073-271-1514.
