Some of the biggest names in marathon running will be in action in the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon (SCTM) this weekend, as the continent’s most prestigious marathon continues on its path towards inclusion as an Abbott’s Marathon Major in just 18 months’ time.
The Cape Town Marathon has travelled a long road since its rejuvenation in 2014, when the the vision of its then ambassadors, Elana van Zyl Meyer and Francois Pienaar, took the race to another level. Sanlam came on board from the outset, making its partnership with Cape Town’s great footrace on of the most success and lasting in sporting history.
A Kenyan and an Ethiopian won that 2014 race, their winning times modest by today’s standards, but the wins by Willy Kibor (2:10:45) and Meseret Mengistu (2:30:57) set the pattern for what was to follow.
Kenyan, Ethiopian and South African athletes have each won the men’s race at SCTM on three occasions since the event’s rejuvenation (Stephen Mokoka having won three times for South Africa) with Ethiopia leading in the women’s contest, their athletes having won on four occasions, to the three of Kenya and one each for Namibia and Great Britain. No South African has won since 2014.
On Sunday, former world record holders and world champions will be among the 21 000 who will line up to race the 42,195 marathon distance close to a number of Cape Town’s most memorable historic sites, although a younger generation of athletes, still making their way in the sport, appear more likely to contest the podium positions.
Kenyan Dennis Kimetto was the first athlete in the world to run the marathon faster than 2 hrs 3 min when he raced to victory in the 2014 Berlin Marathon in 2:02:57 and will be out to prove he is still a force to be reckoned with at 40.
Mare Dibaba won the world marathon championship in 2015 and she took bronze in the Olympic Marathon in Rio the following year. Still only 34 years, Dibaba is eager to get back on the saddle and return to the highest echelon of competition in the event.
Just two months after racing the Olympic Marathon in Paris, Mokoka feels well recovered, but has opted not to contest a high-profile marathon this early. South Africa’s finest distance athlete, could not stay away from his favourite marathon, however, and will line up at the start as one of the official pacers.
“I’m feeling strong,” said Mokoka yesterday. “But I don’t know how my body will be towards the end of the marathon. So I will be running as a pacer on Sunday, focused on taking the leaders through 21 at the designated pace.
“I can’t reveal the pace, but if the weather is favourable, it’s going to be very fast. I couldn’t stay away from the Cape Town Marathon, so I’m pleased to have been given this role as a pacer and I look forward to seeing how far I can go beyond halfway at that pace.”
Ethiopian Tamirat Tola is superstar, having won the Paris Olympic Marathon in convincing manner. Watch out for his rapidly improving younger brother. Abdisa Tola, as a potential winner on Sunday. His debut marathon of 2:05:42 in Dubai last year was one of the fastest debuts on record and he will likely be eyeing Mokoka’s race record on Sunday.
Defending champion Adane Kebede Gebre,28, achieved a feat few have managed when he outsprinted Mokoka in the final kilometre to win last year in 2:11:28 in the wind and he will be looking for a time close to his personal best of 2:06:54, set in Doha last year.
One of the fastest in the field is another Ethiopian, Adeladlew Mamo, 26, who placed second in Seville in 2022 in 2:05:12 and looks like a serious challenger for the title, while Moroccan Hicham Laqouahi’s marathon PB of 2:06:32, make him a strong contender for a podium position.
Glenrose Xaba’s marathon debut shapes as the highlight of the women’s competition. Currently in the form of her life, the Caster Semenya-trained marathoner recently broke Elana Meyer’s long-standing 10km road record and her performance in the marathon will be watched with interest.
South African Olympian, Cian Oldknow, races Cape Town just two months after Paris and a month subsequent to her Gun Run Half Marathon , when she suffered a bad case of food poisoning prior to the race.
“That food-poisoning left Cian depleted and cost us a week of training,” her coach George Bradley admitted. “But Cian’s in good shape – I think similar to when she won the SA Championship in Durban in April.”
Oldknow may have the edge over Xaba on Sunday, but both could struggle to contain the tide of east African competition.
Defending champion, Tsige Haileslase, has a PB of 2:22:10, set four months prior to Cape Town last year and would love to take her Cape Town time of 2:24:17 down to something approaching her PB. If she succeeds, she will be a strong for the marathon title on Sunday.
Two athletes with fast half–marathons to their names, Kenyans Gladys Chepkurui (1:05:46, set in December last year) and Viola Chepngeno (1:06:48 from Dec 2022) will be looking to record a top-class marathon to break into the world circuit and could threaten for podium places.
Two years ago the introduction of the Cape Town Trail Marathon by Ryan Sandes as an addition to the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon weekend added value and diversity to event, unique among the other world’s great city marathons. The event has attracted a smattering of internationals to complete with South Africa’s top trail athletes.
Sandes designed a testing course for the Cape Town Trail Marathon over Table Mountain via Platteklip Gorge, but recent fires and floods have damaged paths, forcing a re-routing for tomorrow’s (Saturday) race. The athletes will now race a slightly shorter route (out and back over the (Devil’s Peak) Saddle to just beyond Kirstenbosch), with somewhat less vertical gain.
2022 winner, Kane Reilly is back to attempt to regain his title he lost to Daniel Claassen last year and following his third position at the Otter Trail two weeks ago, he will start favourite to beat Zimbabwe’s Collin Kanyimo, former UTCT 100km champion, Eric Ngubane, George MUT Marathon winner, Iain Peterkin and veteran Thabang Madiba.
The women’s race will see another contest between Rebecca Watney and Samantha Reilly, following their close dual for second place at the Otter TERREX Trail behind Bianca Tarboton, with old rivals, Landie Greyling and Kerry-Anne Marshall also likely to be in the mix for line honours.
The Cape Town Trail Marathon gets underway from the Cape Town stadium precinct at 06h00 tomorrow, with winners expected shortly after 10am, while elite athletes in the road marathon get underway at 06h15.
