Stephen Mokoka makes it a treble at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon as Meseret Dinke smashes the women’s race record

Stephen Mokoka made it three out of three with an emphatic victory at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon this morning (Sunday 16 October) as the Mother City came alive in a celebration of running, health and wellbeing. And 26-year-old Ethiopian, Meseret Dinke Meleka, became the first sub-2 hr 25 min women’s winner at Cape Town, with a record-breaking 2:24:01 win.

American Aaron Pike won the first top-flight wheelchair race on the continent after breaking away from South African Ernst van Dyk shortly before halfway, while Brazilian Vanessa de Souza outsprinted African champion, Noemi Alphonse, by a whisker to win the women’s wheelchair race in a photo-finish.

More than ten thousand runners enjoyed windless conditions for the marathon and the slickly-run marathon transformed the usual sleepy Sunday city into a buzz of activity and colour. Strong partnerships between the organising team, the sponsors and the City must have ticked many of the boxes required of the Abbott’s Marathon Majors candidacy.

37-year-old Pretoria-based distance runner, Mokoka, proved he is still at the top of his game with a 2:09:58 victory, three seconds inside his winning time last year and the fourth fastest winning time in the history of the event. Unlike last year, when he surged away from a lead group of six in the final stages of the race to win a close contest, Mokoka made his move with over 10km to go, running solo for the final half hour to win by 1 min 28 sec ahead of Ethiopian Derseh Kindie Kassie and clinch first prize of R250 000.

“I’m happy with my time,” Mokoka said. “It was quite a tough course, not the same as last year and we had to work hard in places. The pace was not too fast and when we reached halfway in 65:30 I knew I could go faster in the second half to clock under 2 hrs 10 min.

“Winning three times in Cape Town means a lot to me,” Mokoka later reflected. “Times and records will go but titles remain for all time. I ran a world record for 50km in March and it has just been beaten.  But no one can take away my titles.”

If Mokoka was pleased with his pay-day, Dinke was delighted. In addition to the quarter million, the diminutive Ethiopian pocketed an extra R100 000 for breaking Kenyan Lydia Simyu’s year-old race record by 1 min 43 sec. “Yes, I did know about the record incentive, and I’m very happy about it,” Dinke said. “The race was really nice – I enjoyed it. It was tough having to do all the work myself, but I managed it.”

The wheelchair race proved popular and a significant success, with the new course providing interesting challenges and opportunities. Pike admitted the course through District Six was tough. “I wasn’t expecting this to be so tough – it’s right up there with the New York Marathon – but it’s got technical sections, climbs, downs, fast flats, a bit of everything. But that climb (through District Six at 28km) was a bear! It wasn’t long, but it was brutal!”

Pike was full of praise for the quality of Cape Town’s roads. “I’ve raced all over the planet, and outside of Tokyo and Berlin, this was the best course I have raced in terms of road surface. It’s way better than London or Chicago.”

Having helped design the course and organise race, Van Dyk was upbeat about the future. “We have the ability to host fantastic events here in Cape Town. We can make this a showcase event for the Abbott World Marathon Majors. Cape Town offers some unique features – there’s a photograph of Aaron and I going over the highway, and in the background is a building with a mural of Madiba (Nelson Mandela) and Archbishop Tutu. That will stay with me forever.”

Both the men’s and women’s races provided absorbing contests up to 30km before the two winners embarked on their solo campaigns in successful bids for glory and competitive times.

South African Murray and Roberts athlete, Kabelo Melamu, was prominent up front in the first half, with Kassie and Kenyan Raymond Choge also working hard at the front of the pack. Mokoka, though, was clearly the general, mostly content to race in the pack but at times going to the front and increasing the pace when the speed dropped off.

A lead pack of thirteen was still intact as the athletes rounded Rondebosch Common between 18 and 19km, with the athletes passing halfway in 1:05:36. Shortly after, Melamu made his bid for glory, opening a 30-metre lead before the pack reeled him in at 23km. Kassie took over at the Old Biscuit Mill in Salt River, closely pursued by Kassie, Mokoka, Choge, another Ethiopian Dagnachew Maru, Zimbabwean Blessing Waison and South African Sibusiso Nzima.

Ten athletes were still in contention through 25km in 1:17:36, but another Mokoka injection of pace and the hill at 28km left just Kassie, Choge and Maru in attendance, with the quartet passing 30km in 1:33:18.

Mokoka checked his watch, pressed the accelerator and with a 14:56 5km split from 30km and 35km the race was over. Mokoka was 21 seconds up on Kassie and still going away from his rivals, with Maru and Choge together in third another 12 seconds back.

Turning at Sea Point Pavilion, Mokoka was now flying home along the Atlantic Seaboard and was a minute clear of Kassie at 40km. The only doubt was whether the South African star marathoner could dip under the 2 hr 10 min barrier. He could. And he did and became the first athlete at the Cape Town Marathon to achieve a hattrick of wins.

In the women’s race, six athletes sped through halfway in 1:12:11 with Tecla Kirongo the sole Kenyan among a quintet of Ethiopians. Webalem Basaznew, Maritu Ketema Gutema, Selam Gebre, and Zinashwork Yenew joined their compatriot Dinke in the race lead.

Dinke was setting the pace and when she upped the ante at 23km, only Gebre could stay in contact. But once the athletes hit the District Six hills, Dinke was on her own, racing solo for the final 12km to take the win, the record and a personal best time by over a minute.  Kirongo fought back to overtake Gebre and take second place in a personal best time of 2:27:56, while fellow-Kenyan, Judith Cherono, finished strongly to take third.

As the last finishers crossed the line under the gantry in Helen Suzman Boulevard, the organisers were left to reflect proudly on the outcome of many months of careful planning and implementation.

“The event was a great success,” reflected Sanlam Cape Town Marathon Race Director, Renee Jordaan. “The City’s support was outstanding, with virtually every service department fully mobilised to help runners successfully navigate the course. We also thank residents for their patience while the roads were closed, and for their enthusiastic support. Many of our runners have commented on the fantastic roadside support and said it felt like a true Cape Town party.”

Sanlam’s Head of Brand, Mariska Oosthuizen, was equally enthusiastic. “What a weekend! Huge congratulations to all the runners and spectators! This year is particularly special as we made history as an Abbott World Marathon Majors Candidate race – the first on the African continent.”

Results

Men

1 Stephen Mokoka (RSA – Boxer) 2:09:58

2 Derseh Kindie Kassie (Ethiopia) 2:11:26

3 Dagnachew Adere Maru (Ethiopia) 2:11:52

4 Raymond Kipchumba Choge (Kenya) 2:11:55

5 Samuel Moloi (RSA) 2:14:39

6 Blessing Waison (Zimb) 2:15:10

7 Sibkeo Simon (RSA – Boxer) 2:15:56

8 Winfred Mutiro (Zimb – Maxed Elite) 2:16:09

9 Philani Buthelezi (RSA – M&R) 2:16:55

10 Bonginkosi Mavuso (RSA – Black Diamond) 2:17:12

Wheelchair

1 Aaron Pike (USA) 1:40:16

2 Ernst van Dyk (RSA) 1:44:03

3 Martin Soria (Mexico) 1:46:45

4 Rafa Botello (Spain) 1:53:31

5 Fiedl Zepeda (Mexico) 1:53:32

Women

1 Mesert Dinke Meleka (Ethiopia) 2:24:02

2 Tecla Kirongo (Kenya) 2:27:56

3 Judith Cherono (Kenya) 2:30:32

4 Zinashwork Yenew Ambi (Ethiopia) 2:34:02

5 Webalem Basaznew Ayele (Ethiopia) 2:34:22

6 Medina Deme Armino (Ethiopia) 2:36:01

7 Rebecca Jepchirchir Korir (Kenya) 2:36:45

8 Mpendulo Zwelinjani (RSA – jnr) 2:38:24

9 Stella Marais (RSA – Nedbank AGN) 2:38:34

10 Jenet Mbhele (RSA – XCEL) 2:41:36

Wheelchair

1 Vanessa de Souza (Brazil) 1:57:50

2 Noemi Alphonse (Mauritius) 1:57:50

3 Shelly Woods (UK) 2:16:32

4 Maryna Snopek (RSA) 2:44:54