Stephen Mokoka, seen here after winning last year's Cape Town Marathon, took second place on Sunday. Picture: Peter Heeger/Gallo Images
Targeting his fourth victory at the annual race, Stephen Mokoka was narrowly edged out on Sunday in a late dash for the line at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon.
Competing in windy conditions, a large lead group went through halfway in 1:07:02.
Shaking up the pack, Mokoka pushed the pace in the second half, but he was unable to break away and ultimately settled for the runner-up spot behind Ethiopian athlete Adane Kebede Gebre.
Tearing clear in the latter stages of a tactical battle, Gebre secured victory in 2:11:28, clocking the slowest winning time at the race since 2015.
Mokoka took second position in 2:11:33, again leading the local charge at Africa’s most prestigious 42km race.
Comrades Marathon champion Tete Dijana was the only other South African in the top 10, taking 10th position in 2:13:24.
The women’s race was more honest, in terms of pace, but the SA contingent struggled even more than their male compatriots.
Tsige Haileslase Abreha led an Ethiopian sweep of the podium, taking the win in 2:24:17 and slicing 1:27 off the course record of 2:25:44 which was set by Kenyan athlete Lydia Simiyu last year.
With most of the country’s top women marathon runners missing from the line-up, Nontokozo Mkhize was the first South African finisher. She took ninth position in 2:40:40.
On Saturday, track star Adriaan Wildschutt rocketed to victory in the men’s 10km race in the Mother City in 27:53, shattering his personal best as he finished more than a minute clear of his nearest opponent.
In the women’s 10km race, Irvette van Zyl returned to the top of the podium as she continued to gain momentum on the road back from injury. She also won convincingly in 33:56.
On the trails, Daniel Claasen won the off-road marathon in 4:25:08 and Reilly Sam took the women’s race in 5:09:11.
