Makhanya ready for Soweto

“I’m so excited about being part of this historic race,” Makhanya said on Friday.

“For the first time ever, the race has a half-marathon event and I know there’s a great chance of me winning, but at the moment, I’m pushing for a top three finish.

“I’ll be running against SA’s top female athletes like Rene Kalmer, Rutendo Nyahora and Irvette Van Zyl, so it’s going to be very interesting as I’m used to running against them over the 10km distance.”

The 2013 SA sports woman of the year burst onto the road scene with victories over the 10km distance in the Spar Women’s Challenge.

Her race victories in Durban and Pretoria put her ahead of the pack last year and she was crowned 2013 Grand Prix series champion after finishing top of the log with 105 points.

She also won her first marathon last year, improving the women’s course record by six minutes at the Gauteng Marathon.

This year, she improved her personal best by 30 seconds in the same marathon, finishing second in two hours, 36 minutes and 36 seconds (2:36:36).

On Sunday she competes in her third half marathon, a race she described as a training race for her first overseas marathon.

“The Soweto marathon is my last big race for the year and after Sunday I’ll be building up for my big race.

“I will be running the Hannover next year, which will be my first international marathon and I’m really looking forward to it.”

The Soweto Marathon was cancelled last year, due to a lack of funds and returns to the Johannesburg township where over 21 000 runners are expected to take part.

The event features a 42km, 21km and 10km race, with the elite field promising some exciting competition.

The 42km men’s race is headlined by 2012 defending champion and course record holder Shadrack Kemboi of Kenya, 2012 Comrades Marathon champion Ludwick Mamabolo and former Soweto Marathon winner Teboho Sello.

In the women’s 42km event, seven-time winner of the race Mamorallo Tjoka from Lesotho returns to defend her title.

Charne Bosman, who was the first South African woman to cross the finish line at the 2013 Comrades Marathon, will miss the race, suffering a hip injury.

Bosman said she was disappointed with the way her season had gone, but would regroup and focus on next year’s Comrades.

“On Monday, they’ll have a look at the inflammation and I would rather rest and make sure I recover well, because my main focus is doing well at the Comrades next year,” she said.

The race starts and finishes in Nasrec, and will take the field via Walter Sisulu Square, past the home of former President Nelson Mandela on Vilakazi Street and past the Hector Peterson Memorial.

– Sapa