Bennett Seloyi and Jenna Challenor came out on top in a wind-swept Balwin Sport Peninsula Marathon this morning (Sunday 16 February), which doubled as the ASA national marathon championships.
Six thousand runners completed the marathon and half-marathon in the 57th edition of the race, which has attracted the country’s finest exponents of distance running over the years.
Despite the strong south-easter, which gusted up to 50km/h at times, Seloyi’s winning time of 2hrs 20 min 12 sec was the second fastest in the race in the past decade and the diminutive athlete from Johannesburg clearly has the ability to better his personal best of 2:17:11, set last year in the Cape Town Marathon.
“All three of my marathons have been in Cape Town and all were affected by the wind!” Seloyi remarked. “My aim was to run a 2:10 marathon, but that was not possible today. But I told myself I have an advantage today over others as I’m too small for the wind to bother me!”
The 24-year-old general worker for the Gauteng Province, Seloyi, enjoyed a profitable day out, pocketing R12 000 first prize for winning the Peninsula Marathon and a further R20 000 for the ASA Championship gold medal, but his victory was hard-fought, with 23-year-old KZN athlete, Sinethemba Tshangase, holding on until the final kilometre to take the silver just 13 seconds back.
And in another Central Gauteng – KZN jostle for a podium position in the final kilometre, Cijimpi Moloi (CG), got his nose in front of KZN’s Sphamandla Nkosi to take third in 2:23:42.
No stranger to the top step of the podium at ASA Championship races, Seloyi was the surprise winner over favourite Kabelo Mulaudzi at last year’s 10km Championships in Johannesburg, winning in 29:43, but rates himself more highly over longer distances.
“I’m not muscular enough for fast speeds like Sinethemba,” Seloyi joked. “So I think my best distance will be the marathon. I’m working hard to get my time down. But this win means a lot to me – it’s the highlight of my career so far!”
The gusting wind caused runners to seek ‘pack protection’ and a group of around fifteen ran through halfway in Bergvliet in just under 70 minutes. Seloyi had earlier broken way, staying in front between 18km and 20km, but the pack reeled him in before halfway.
Seloyi surged again 2km further on and this time only Tshangase chased him down, the two matching strides until less than a kilometre from home. Seloyi finally broke clear 700m from the finish on the climb to the entrance to the Naval Sports Club before sprinting to the line to take the tape.
Durban-based Challenor loves racing in Cape Town, having set a South African veterans’ (M40) 30km record in finishing third to British athlete Lucy Reid in the Bay-to-Bay last month, but surprisingly was overlooked for selection for the marathon championships by her province.
Having won silver behind Cian Oldknow in the marathon championships in Durban last year Challenor, running in Nedbank club colours, went one better today, overtaking her teammate, Deanne Lauscher (who also slipped through selection fingers with her recent move to Paarl) at Lakeside to race to victory by 2 min 27 sec in 2:51:19.
“I felt good today, in spite of the wind,” said Challenor. “Injury and illness kept me out of competitive racing for some time in recent years, but its good to be back. Gold medals at Two Oceans and Comrades Marathons are my target for the year ahead.”
Laubscher placed second to Adele Broodryk at Peninsula last year and struggled in the second half today. “It’s second place again at Peninsula,” the 26-year-old Nedbank runner said. “I think it’s time to step up to the next level, so a Two Oceans Marathon top ten gold medal and a win at next year’s Peninsula Marathon are my targets!”
Western Province athlete, Landie Greyling, ran a strong second half to finish just over a minute behind Laubscher in third place and, with the first two athletes across the line competing as individuals, was awarded the gold medal and title of the South African marathon champion of the year.
“I’m quite enjoying road running – this is only my second marathon when I’ve gone out to run a specific pace from the start,” Greyling commented. “I’ve slowly getting the hang of it – running a more even pace throughout.
“I think compared with the rest of the field, I made up time in the second half when the wind was worst and I guess my trail running experience helped!
“I’m planning to run Two Oceans to get my sub- four hours and then my back to back medal at Comrades. Then I’ll decide after that.
“Winning an SA road title – I never thought I’d be there at 41 years! Something to tell my kids when I’m 80 years old!”
Greyling suffered ‘neck strain’ at the awards with the weight of her medals, her Championship individual senior, veterans (M40) and WP team gold medals added to her third place and category prizes for the Peninsula Marathon.
It proved a top day for legendary coach, Ernie Gruhn, with Challenor, Greyling and fourth-placed Kerry-Anne Marshall all part of his stable.
While the gusting south-easter proved challenging for most athletes, trail running specialists used the conditions to their advantage, with Greyling and Marshall placing 3rd and 4th in the marathon and Kane Reilly shrugging off a hamstring tweak to earn runners-up in the Peninsula Half Marathon, a minute behind Langa athlete, Yanga Malusi, who won in 1:11:50.
Tayla Kavanagh made it two wins for Durban athletes with a decisive 1:20:37 win in the women’s half marathon contest, with two other trail athletes, Nicola Wills and Rebecca Watney completing the podium.
Results
Balwin Sport Peninsula Marathon
Men
1 Bennett Seloyi (CGA) 2:20:12; 2 Sinethemba Tshangase (KZN) 2:20:25; 3 Cijimpi Moloi (CGA) 2:23:42; 4 Sphamandla Nkosi (KZN) 2:23:59; 5 Lindelani Mjwara (KZN) 2:24:01; 6 Tebogo Pilusa (Limpopo) 2:24:04; 7 Selwyn Matthews (ASWD) 2:25:12; 8 Arthur Jantjies AGW) 2:27:07; 9 Kabelo Melamu (CGA) 2:27:33; 10 Sibabalwe Gladwin Mzazi (CGA) 2:29:05
Women
1 Jenna Challenor (Ned KZN) 2:51:24; 2 Deanne Laubscher (Ned GN) 2:53:51; 3 Landie Greyling (WPA) 2:55:01; 4 Kerry-Ann Marshall (Ind) 2:59:10; 5 Danielle Wild (Sterk Span) 3:04:28; 6 Tracey-Anne Campbell (EPA) 3:06:31; 7 Mhlongo Makhosazane (KZN) 3:06:31; 8 Maretha Smit (WPA) 3:07:27; 9 Tebogo Mokgosinyane CGA) 3:09:04; 10 Jenna Cackett (Ned WP) 3:09:25
ASA SA Marathon Championships
Men
1 Bennett Seloyi (CGA) 2:20:12; 2 Sinethemba Tshangase (KZN) 2:20:25; 3 Cijimpi Moloi (CGA) 2:23:42; 4 Sphamandla Nkosi (KZN) 2:23:59; 5 Lindelani Mjwara (KZN) 2:24:01; 6 Tebogo Pilusa (Limpopo) 2:24:04; 7 Selwyn Matthews (ASWD) 2:25:12; 8 Arthur Jantjies AGW) 2:27:07; 9 Kabelo Melamu (CGA) 2:27:33; 10 Sibabalwe Gladwin Mzazi (CGA) 2:29:05
Women
1 Landie Greyling (WPA) 2:55:01; 2 Tracey-Anne Campbell (EPA) 3:06:31; 3 Mhlongo Makhosazane (KZN) 3:06:31; 4 Maretha Smit (WPA) 3:07:27; 5 Tebogo Mokgosinyane CGA) 3:09:04; 6 Fikile Mbuthuma (KZA) 3:10:05; 7 Puleng Khumalo (AGN) 3:11:17; 8 Yolande Maclean (AGN) 3:13:36; 9 Nomvula Sithole AMpum) 3:14:53; 10 Viraldi Engelbrecht (Limpopo) 3:16:00
Results
Balwin Sport Peninsula Half Marathon
Men
1 Yanga Malusi (Langa) 1:11:50; 2 Kane Reilly (ind) 1:13:11; 3 Awonke Bungu (Langa) 1:15:39; 4 Thijs Uildriks (Ind) 1:16:14; 5 Edwin Chimombo (Edge) 1:16:17; 6 Jacov Lalou (Ind) 1:16:20
Women
1 Tayla Kavanagh (Hollywood) 1:20:37; 2 Nicola Wills (Boxer) 1:24:27; 3 Rebecca Watney (Ind) 1:28:50; 4 Alexa Townsend (Langa) 1:31:19; 5 Jana Hofmeyr (AAC) 1:32:13; 6 Daneil Feldmann (Ind) 1:33:51
