Seldom were the lines of South Africa’s popular song, ‘Kaptein’ sung with more gusto than by the crowds at the finish of the Totalsports Two Oceans Half Marathon this morning ( Sunday 6 April) in celebration of an extraordinary performance by local hero, William Kaptein.
The 32-year-old Robertson-born athlete shyly acknowledged the fans as they sang out ‘Kaptein hy is myne!’ (captain, he is mine), while was being interviewed on television following his remarkable victory.
But there was nothing shy about his confident predication at Friday’s elite athletes’ media conference ahead of the race.
More than 16 000 runners took part in the race, which took place in sunny conditions with the temperature rising to over 27 degrees as the backmarkers completed the race.
A severe weather warning, due to expected heat, led to organisers, in conjunction with the City of Cape Town, adopting mitigation measures overnight, which included the provision of an additional water station, the stationing of additional medical personnel and the shortening of the route due to the need to cut out an out and back loop of some 200m, rendering the times non-compliant for statistical purposes.
The toast today of the farming town of Robertson, Kaptein became the first athlete from the Western Cape to win the half marathon since Makhosonke Fika’s victory in the inaugural race in 1998.
It was the manner of Kaptein’s victory which sent the pulses racing, evoking similar excitement to that of a breakaway cyclist holding off the Peloton to win a Tour de France stage by a whisker.
Kaptein confounded his rivals who failed to heed his warning at the media conference and they failed to respond when he surged away on the climb up Edinburgh Drive 4km into the race.
“We all thought he had gone too early and that we would surely catch him well before the finish,” said Boxer athlete and national 10 km and marathon champion, Bennet Seloyi. “But he never came back.”
Seloyi, who won the Peninsula Marathon in Cape Town in February, was part of a quartet of athletes who did all they could to catch ‘the rabbit’ and in the end was the one who came closest to ‘pooping’ on the local party parade.
It was close, with Seloyi falling short by just two seconds as Kaptein spread his arms in victory, breaking the tape to win in 1 hr 4 min 41 sec in the biggest win of his career. Former winner and course record holder, Lesotho athlete, Namakoe Nkhasi, took the final podium place, 8 seconds behind Seloyi.
The strong field included former winners (Nkhasi and Thabang Mosiako), national 10 km and marathon champion (Seloyi), runner-up in the 2023 national marathon championships (Simon Sibeko), sub-61 minute half marathoner Collen Mulaudzi and 28:29 10km athlete (Kenyan Reuben Mosip). And comeback kid, Kaptein.
Less than two minutes separated the top ten finishers, with Mulaudzi taking 10th in 1:06:31.
Kaptein promised his fiancée last night that he would win and was as good as his word.
“I was one of the first graduates of Elana’s (Van Zyl) Endurocad programme in 2015, when I enjoyed incredible support and the expertise of coach Ernie Gruhn. He always believed in me and taught me to believe in myself. And I believed I was going to win today.”
Back to the race where 4km from the start Kaptein made his move. “The pace was slow on the climb,” he explained. “And I felt with R25 000 at stake we needed to work harder to earn the prize.”
He was already 100m ahead of his pursuers as he crested Edinburgh Drive, disappearing into the pre-dawn darkness along the Blue Route descent into Constantia.
A large pack, which included Seloyi, Nkhasi, Mosip,Sibeko, Mosiako, Mulaudzi, Arthur Jantjies, Cwenga Nose, Selwyn Matthews and leading trail athlete, Kane Reilly, set off in pursuit of Kaptein but he was soon out of sight and running solo.
The first cracks of dawn appeared in the sky as Kaptein turned off the Blue Route, but no cracks were apparent in Kaptein’s armour as he raced purposefully, passing halfway in 32:30, shortly after commencing the climb up Southern Cross Drive.
Mosip had broken clear of the chasing pack and the Kenyan ran through halfway 21 seconds down on Kaptein, closely followed by Seloyi (25 sec), Nkhasi (32 sec), Sibeko (33 sec) with Nose, Mulaudzi, Mosiako and Jantjies together 34 sec off the leader.
Nkhasi caught Mosip, with Seloyi and Nose joining the lead pair, the foursome working together on the climb up Southern Cross Drive in pursuit of Kaptein.
Kaptein waved to spectators as he turned towards Kirstenbosch, before racing through 15km in 47:22, 22 seconds ahead of Nkhasi, Seloyi and Mosip.
The chasing trio attacked on the sharp descent to Kirstenbosch to catch the runaway leader, but Kaptein was equal to the challenge. “I knew they would be coming for me on the downhill, so I opened up on that stretch and increased my pace as well.”
Kaptein held the gap through the Totalsports Aid Station at the main gate of Kirstenbosch and when he had 25 seconds on the chasers at the top of Chet’s Hill, less than 3km from home, the unthinkable was looking a betting certainty.
Nkhasi and Seloyi dug deep to bridge the divide, but Kaptein never looked like stumbling, allowing himself some seconds to enjoy the moment as he broke the tape in victory.
Yesterday Kenyan Shelmith Muriuki finished second to Gerda Steyn in the ultra-marathon but her compatriot Mercy Jebet Kibor was second to none as she enjoyed a pillar to post victory in her first race in South Africa.
Jebet crossed the line on the UCT Green Mile in 1:17:06, 2 min 9 sec ahead of Lesotho athlete, Nthabiseng Letokoto.
Busiswe Chamane took third in 1:19:38, holding off a fast finishing and much improved Nicola Wills of Cape Town, running in the red strip of Boxer.
The Kenyan athlete was already 41 seconds clear at 5km and had increased her lead to 1 min 30 sec through halfway, with the Lesotho pair Letokoto and Malineo Mahloko running together in second. Chamane followed close behind, with Phantane’s Nwabisa Mjoli and Wills trailing some distance back.
The race was over as a contest, as Jebet increased her lead up Southern Cross Drive, eventually racing clear to an emphatic victory.
But this race was all about Kaptein, pointing to bigger career possibilities.
“The support I received at Endurocad ten years ago was exceptional and enabled me to reach a high standard,” Kaptein explained. “But when my contract ended I returned to Robertson, where there are few opportunities, and fell away from the sport.
“I was out for a long time, due to personal issues and circumstances, before I decided to return to athletics to run even better than before.
“I didn’t know how long it would take, and it’s been three years now. But I’m again with Coach Ernie and I’ve been working hard and making progress.
“I’m running the ABSA 10km in Cape Town in a few weeks where I hope to go under 29 minutes and from there, we will decide on how to shape my future. I have a dream to race in the 2028 Olympics and I think my best chance would be in the marathon.
“I’m from Robertson, my fiancée is living in Stellenbosch and I’m now in Cape Town, so I have support in many places!”
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