“Elite Invitational” element of Cape Town Marathon sees three star-studded fields in three SA cities.

Following months of planning for a virtual event like no other, thousands of runners from across the globe will take to their local streets to run the Sanlam Cape Town Virtual Marathon, Half Marathon, or the 5km / 10km Peace Runs this coming Sunday (October 18).

As the virtual run kicks off at 6 am on Sunday morning, local time, the organising team will already be hard at work from Saturday evening when they start to follow the progress of the first runners in Australia and New Zealand, right through until the last athletes complete their run in America.  Their virtual run experience will be powered by a state-of-the-art app that will track all participants while giving them a full Cape Town experience through dynamic 3D surround sound – from the traditional start ceremony and stories about the city’s iconic landmarks to the cheers and vibe.

While participants run along their favourite routes, SA’s top athletes will go head to head on three pre-designed marathon routes in Cape Town, Pretoria and Potchefstroom, starting at 06h15 on Sunday morning. The Elite Invitational will comprise a star-studded field with big names like Bongmusa Mthembu, Lindikhaya Mthangayi,  Charne Bosman and Ann Ashworth. 

Joining them in Cape Town and Pretoria are the cream of the South African para-athlete crop – including teen Paralympic sensation Ntando Mahlangu who will run 5km in Pretoria.

Race Weekend proceedings will kick off on Saturday morning with a short peace walk when event delegates will join Sanlam Cape Town Marathon brand ambassador Elana Meyer in carrying the iconic Peace torch from Green Point along the Promenade. The Peace torch is part of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon’s RUN4CHANGE legacy programme and is part of a global relay that embodies humanity’s universal aspiration for peace and promoting international friendship and understanding.

The Peace torch was brought to the event by the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home PEACE Run, which has visited 155 countries and run more than 632 000km since 1987.

The Sanlam Cape Town Virtual Marathon’s innovative hybrid format – blending virtual running with real life experiences like the Elite Invitational and the Peace torch walk on Saturday – has set it apart from other major marathons that have gone virtual this year, earning praise and enthusiastic support from the City of Cape Town in the process.

The Sanlam Cape Town Virtual Marathon will be broadcast on SABC 2 between 06h00 and 09h30 on 18 October, when camera crews will follow the Elite Invitational race on the three respective routes, while the broadcast itself will also include a host of human interest stories and virtual race updates from across the globe.

Interesting Statistics

• Oldest Entrant: Anita Thomas (84) from Cape Town, doing the 5km
• 6 runners over 80
• 103 runners between 70 – 79
• 738 runners between 60 – 69
• 2365 runners between 50 and 59
• 53% female; 47% male split
• Over 60 nationalities represented
• 10 000 race packs distributed nation-wide by Takealot.com
• 18 real-life refreshment zones in front of select Woolworths stores across the country

Elite Invitational

Running in Cape Town

M	Bongmusa  Mthembu	Arthur Ford
M	Lindikhaya Mthangayi	Nedbank
M	Sithembiso  Mqhele	Murray and Roberts
M	Msawenkosi  Mthalane	Entsika
M	Nkosikhona Mhlakwana	Maxed Elite
M	Lindelani Zondi	Entsika
F	Tanith  Maxwell	Boxer
F	Sanelisiwe Mbanjwa	Nedbank
F	Janie Grundling	Murray and Roberts
F	Bulelwa Simae	Boxer
F	Danette Smith Walley	Murray and Roberts
F	Madelé du Plessis	Nedbank
F	Nontokozo Happiness Mkhize	Arthur Ford
F	Nontuthuko Mgabhi	Murray and Roberts
F	Annie Bothma	ATC Multi-Sport Club

Running in Pretoria

M	Phillimon Mathiba	Nedbank
M	Sibusiso   Nzima	Nedbank
M	Philani  Buthelezi	Murray and Roberts
M	Kabelo  Melamu	Murray and Roberts
M	Pharson Magagane	Entsika
M	Thandokwakhe Ngcobo	Entsika
M	Charles Mkhonto	Entsika
M	Sikhumbuzo  Seme	Entsika
F	Charne Bosman	Murray and Roberts
F	Yolande Maclean	Murray and Roberts
F	Chrizell Roberts	Nedbank

Running in Potchefstroom

M	Edward  Mothibi	Nedbank
M	Jeremia Moshwetsi	Impala
M	Tumelo Motlagale	Boxer
M	Joel  Mmone	Nedbank
M	Sibabalwe Gladwin  Mzazi	Boxer
M	David Manja	Nedbank
M	Peter Muthubi	Nedbank
F	Ann Ashworth	Massmart
F	Cornelia  Joubert	Boxer
F	Lebogang  Phalula	Boxer
F	Lebo Phalula	Boxer
F	Enie  Manzini	Massmart
F	Melinda  Jansen van Vuuren	Massmart

Para-Athlete Squad

Pretoria	5km	Jessica Marggraf	2 x silver medals at IWAS (International Wheelchair & Amputee Sports) champs in 2019Ran a Paralympics qualifying time in the 400m in 2019, and set a new 400m PB in 2020.
Pretoria	5km	Ntando Mahlangu	In 2015 he won the 200m and 400m T42 at the IWAS World Junior Games in Stadskanaal, the Netherlands; a year later at the IWAS Under 23 World Games in Prague, Czech Republic, he won four gold medals and set what was then a new world record in the 400m T42. He returned home with the ‘Best Athlete of the Games’ award.Won a silver at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio, in the 200m T42 event & set African record.He dominated the World Junior Champs in Switzerland in 2017 with four gold medals and new 100m T42 (12.01) and 400m T42 (49.92) world records in the process – all at just 15.2019 – won the men’s 200m T61 at the 2019 World Championships in Dubai, UAE.Qualified to represent SA at the Summer Paralympics in Tokyo.
Pretoria	21km	Tebogo Mofokeng	Represented South Africa at the World Para Athletics Junior Championships in Switzerland in 2019.Won double gold for Gauteng in the men under-20 T63 100m (0:12.59) and 200m (0:24.89) finals at the 2019 Toyota National Para Athletics Championships in Stellenbosch.Represented South Africa at the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sport (IWAS) World Games that took place in 2019 in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Pretoria	21km	Daniel du Plessis	Represented South Africa at the World Para Athletics Championships in 2019 and qualified to represent SA at the Paralympics in Tokyo.He competes in 400m T62
Cape Town	5km	Charl du Toit	Competed at two Summer Paralympic Games, London 2012 and Rio 2016. At the 2016 Paralympics he won gold medals in the T37 100m and 400m races, setting a world record for the latter.
Cape Town	5km	Anrune Weyers	Set a world record in the T47 400m in Belgium, 2019.Was named 2019 Sportswoman Of the Year with a Disability at the Regional Annual Sport Awards of the African Union Sports Council Region 5.2018 & 2019 Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability at the SA Sports Awards.
Cape Town	5km	Daniel Briers-Louw	Ranked 6th in the world in the T13 200mSA record holder, T13 200m and 400mSA wrestling champion 2015 & 2016World junior para-athletics bronze medallist
Cape Town	5km	Dyan Buis	Gold medal in the T38 400m at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio.Silver in the T38 100m and T38 200m, as well as a bronze in the T37-38 long jump at the 2012 Paralympics in London.Silver medals in the T38 100m and 200m at the IPC World Champs in 2015, and silver medals in the T38 200m and T38 long jump at the IPC World Champs in 2015.