COMRADES MARATHON HISTORY

2019 Up (94th Race - 48th Up Run)

As 19000 athletes descended on the start-line, they were greeted with near-perfect running conditions; an overcast sky and a pleasantly mild winter morning. An early downpour of rain, which ended at 3 o’clock, left a wet road and isolated pools of water at roadside for long stretches in the first 30 kilometres. Moderately heavy patches of mist were prevalent in places for most of the morning, but had lifted by the time the bulk of the field entered the Drummond valley near the midpoint of the race.

THE MEN’S RACE

In the build-up to a modern Comrades Marathon there are, inevitably, ten to twelve runners who stand out as having a reasonable chance of being in the mix when the contest for the Gold Medals commenced in earnest; when the leading contenders moved into position to strike on the approaches to the finishing city.

The winner of the two previous races, Bongmusa Mthembu, naturally, was regarded as the man to beat. Previous winners, Gift Kelehe, and Down Run record-holder, David Gatebe, could never be discounted, while England’s Steve Way, who’s storming finish for third place in 2018, was highly respected. Nor could the ability of perennial Gold Medallist, Zimbabwean, Marko Mambo, be ignored.

And what of surprise entry, Nao Kazami, from Japan? In June 2018, he lowered the World 100 km record to 6h 09m 14s. This performance was recorded on a flat course at Lake Seroma, Japan. The big question, however, was ‘how will he handle the Comrades hills?’

The Start to Pinetown

The initial few steps, every year, is that brief period of glory for the no-hopers; a fleeting moment when the television cameras record their vain efforts, before fading into oblivion. First to show, as the massive field swept up Berea Road, en route to Tollgate, was the Zimbabwean, Canisious Nyamutsita, with Samuel Matsepe just two strides adrift. Then followed a large group in which none of the big names featured. This was not surprising as the major contenders held back; running comfortably to their individual, predetermined, strategies.

Nyamutsita was still leading as he went through Pinetown in 1h 07m 36s. He was followed by
Matsepe (1h 10m 07s), Godfrey Hlatywayo (1h 11m 36s) and Thabani Chagwe (1h 11m 38s).

Lead Group at Pinetown (18.6km)

Pinetown to Winston Park

Nyamutsita, unwisely, extended his lead to 6 minutes and, in doing so removed himself as a major threat. He was running so fast that his projected finish time was inside 5h 17m; more than a minute faster than the existing Down Run Best Time. He had already committed Comrades suicide.

Over this section, some of the fancied names began to show. Former Gold Medallist, Charles Tjiane and Kazami had moved into a quartet in joint second place. Perennial Gold Medallist, Marko Mambo (Zimbabwe) was a stride behind them. The rest of the ‘big guns’ were jockeying for position in readiness to make their move.

The race was starting to take shape.

Lead Group at Winston Park (29.5km)

Winston Park to Drummond

Over the rolling hills to the midpoint at Drummond, the numerous lead groups were littered with names that, less than three hours later, would be challenging for the top places. Mambo had assumed a minimal lead going through the halfway checkpoint in 2h 45m 09s. Two seconds separated him from a packed group of nine. Although he was in this group, Nyamutsita was a spent force. David Gatebe, Joseph Manyedi, Edward Mothibi, Bongmusa Mthembu and Mike Fokoroni entered the fray, while Kazami had fallen out of the top ten.

With the monster, Inchanga, looming, predictions were dangerous.

Lead group at Drummond (Halfway) (43.0 km)

Drummond to Cato Ridge

With 57 km completed, and only a third of the distance remaining to the finish, a mere 1m 16s separated the first ten runners through Cato Ridge. Eight of those were destined to fight for the ten Gold Medals on offer. To opine that a thrilling battle was due to be played out was a foregone conclusion. To predict the final outcome was an exercise in futility.

Justin Cheshire of Kenya made his move and led through Cato Ridge (3h 36m 58s) with a slender margin of three seconds over Gatebe, Manyedi, Mothibi and Mthembu (all 3h 37m 01s) in joint second position. Over the ensuing few kilometres Gatebe and Thulani Magagula would, temporarily, drift out of the Gold Medal positions and ostensibly out of contention.

Lead group at Cato Ridge (56.9 km)

Cato Ridge to Camperdown

On the short, relatively level, stretch to Camperdown, the only changes in the leading ten places, such was the intensity of the torrid battle, was a shuffling of the order.

Mothibi and Mthembu went to the front in 3h 58m 16s, followed, one second later, by Manyedi and Cheshire (3h 58m 17s). Kazami moved up one position while Gatebe, re-emerged as a threat in 6th place.

Lead group at Camperdown (62.6 km)

Camperdown to Umlaas Road

With only minor position changes, the leading runners continued to ready themselves for the final onslaught. The pace up front was, however, causing the time gaps between places to lengthen. Mothibi and Mthembu (4h 14m 49s) were disputing the lead and built a tenuous advantage of 25 seconds over Cheshire (4h 15m 14s), who was followed 40 seconds later by Manyedi (4h 15m 54s). Kazami was next in 4h 16m 07s.

Outside the top ten at that stage, the Finn, Henri Ansio, was flying; cutting through those on the fringe of the potential Gold Medallists.

Lead group at Umlaas Road (67.0 km)

Umlaas Road to the top of Polly Shortts

On the tempting downhill into the Mpusheni valley, a visible increase in the pace saw Mthembu matching the free-striding Mothibi, but on the climb up the final major obstacle, Mothibi edged away, cresting Polly’s with a marginal lead of 20 seconds. Kazami passed by 7 minutes later.

A classic battle for line honours loomed.

The Finn, Henri Ansio was producing a storming performance. He drew level with Gatebe at the summit of the hill. The pair was timed, jointly in 9th place, in 5h 15m 19s; but the remaining 7 kilometres were likely to prove insufficient for him to catch the leaders.

Lead group at the top of Polly Shortts (79.3 km)

Top of Polly Shortts to the Finish

Over the final 7-km dash, Mothibi never faltered and Mthembu could not reduce the deficit which increased, slightly, to 25 seconds. Kazami held onto his 3rd place. Ansio continued his fine run. A few additional kilometres may have seen him finish higher than his 7th position. Gatebe capitulated on the run-in, falling out the Gold Medals. His place was taken by Siya Mqambeli.

The winning time fell 7 minutes short of Russian, Leonid Shevetsov’s best time of 5h 24m 49s set in 2008, but it proved to be a thrilling race in which, over the last 30 km, any of 20 runners could have produced a winning effort.

RESULT

VETERANS (AGE 40-49)

MASTERS (AGE 50-59)

GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60+)

FIRST SOUTH AFRICAN MAN

FIRST FOREIGN MAN (NO TROPHY)

GUNGA DIN TROPHY

First Men's Team
Current Team Best Time (Up) : 22h 19m 29s
Liberty Nike Athletic Club – 2003

ARTHUR NEWTON MEMORIAL TROPHY

Second Men's Team

VIC CLAPHAM MEMORIAL TROPHY

First Veteran Men's Team
Current Team Best Time (Up) : 25h 27m 48s
Rand Athletic Club – 1986

NO TROPHY

First Men's Trophy
Current Team Best Time (Up) : 23h 54m 19s
Nedbank Running Club GN – 2017

HARDY BALLINGTON TROPHY

First Novice - Man
Current Best Time (Up) : 5h 26m 29s
Leonid Shvetsov (age 32) (Russia) – 2001

SOUTH AFRICAN LEGION TROPHY

First Veteran Man
Current Best Time (Up) : 5h 27m 22s
Vladimir Kotov (age 43) (Belarus) – 2001

PREMIER'S TROPHY

First KZN Man
Current Best Time (Up) : 5h 26m 39s
Bongmusa Mthembu (age 32) – 2016

WOMEN'S RACE

Unlike the Men’s race, in which the ultimate winner was in doubt for most of the journey, the winner of Women’s race was never in doubt as the race became a procession from the moment Gerda Steyn went to the front on the outskirts of Winston Park. The interest thereafter was whether or not she would lower the existing Best Time, of 6h 09m 24s, for the Up Run.

The Start to Pinetown

The tussle for the lead commenced shortly after the massed field crossed the timing mats, under the dazzling television lights, outside the Durban City Hall, with most of the favoured runners already poised to move into contention.

An intense jockeying for positions saw 2018 winner, Ann Ashworth, and 2017 winner, Camille Heron, of the USA, build a minimal lead, over the rest of the field, on the ascent of Cowie’s Hill. Cruising down the back of Cowie’s into Pinetown, Ashworth (1h 17m 42s) held a 7-second advantage over Heron (1h 17m 49s). Steyn was next through in 1h 18m 12s, followed by Alexandra Morozova (Russia), Lizzy Ramadimetja and Dominika Stelmach (Poland) in quick succession. Five minutes separated the first ten runners through the checkpoint.

Lead Group at Pinetown (18.6km)

Pinetown to Winston Park

The battle continued, unabated, up Field’s Hill where, both Steyn and Morozova went past a, clearly, uncomfortable, Heron who would soon fall back and then fade out of the picture. Ramadimetja, dropping back, soon exited the top ten. Caitriona Jennings (Ireland) improved her position and Charne Bosman entered the lead group.

Steyn and Ashworth were flowing freely once Field’s Hill had fallen behind. The pair slowly increased the distance between them and Morozova, as Winston Park loomed.

Then Steyn went to the front… and the race for the top position was, effectively, over.

Lead group at Winston Park (29.5 km)

Winston Park to Drummond

Steyn’s move into the lead was the pivotal moment in the race. Running faster than 13 km per hour, she established a lead of 2 minutes over Ashworth by the time she passed the halfway checkpoint at Drummond, in a new Best Time of 3h 02m 03s, previously 3h 03m 00s, set by Ann Trason of the USA, in 1996, for the first half of the journey. The challenge for a new Best Time for the Up Run was certainly on. Was the dream of a Sub 6-hour possible? Surely not.

Jenna Challenor, moving effortlessly, entered the chase for the Gold Medal positions.

Lead group at Drummond (Halfway) (43.0 km)

Drummond to Cato Ridge

Jennings, pushing hard and moving into 2nd place, and Bosman, were working their way steadily through the field. Catrin Jones (Canada) and Mary Khourie joined the Gold rush. Heron retired shortly after climbing Inchanga.

All the Gold Medallists were now in the leading ten places. The remaining question was ‘what would the final order be?’

Steyn, however, moved into overdrive, having increased her lead to 4 minutes and was, simply, disappearing into the distance: running away from her chasers.

Lead Group at Cato Ridge (56.9km)

Cato Ridge to Camperdown

While those in the lead group consolidated their places, Steyn was unstoppable, increasing her lead to 6 minutes on the short run to Camperdown. Reaching the checkpoint in a time that, in the absence of a major catastrophe, a new Best Time seemed assured.

The clock watchers were starting to project the unthinkable; a sub-6-hour.

Lead Group at Camperdown (62.6km)

Camperdown to Umlaas Road

Steyn extended the time over her nearest rival on this relatively easy stretch. Jennings passed through 8 minutes adrift of the flying leader. The distances between the followers were also ebbing and flowing as they progressed, but they all must have been aware that the race was, realistically, over and that their chances of reeling in the leader were zero.

Lead Group at Umlaas Road (67.0km)

Umlaas Road to Top of Polly Shortts

Minor positional shuffling occurred over this very tough section of the race. Steyn pressed hard on the accelerator and extended her lead to 16 minutes. Of greater significance, the watches indicated that the six-hour barrier had entered the red zone. Despite the prediction – from the 70s – that a woman will never break 7h 30m, the unmentionable, impossible sub-six, appeared distinctly possible.

Lead Group at the top of Polly Shortts (79.3km)

Top of Polly Shortts to the Finish

“Will she… or won’t she?”

That was the unspoken question quivering on the lips of everyone at the Scottsville Racecourse in Pietermaritzburg. It was certain to be touch and go as Steyn made her triumphant way along the roads through the outskirts of the city.

Then there was a deafening roar. Steyn emerged on the home-straight with a mere hundred metres to run. The clock above the finish line read 5h 58m 31s.

Twenty-two seconds later, Gerda Steyn wrote her name in the Comrades Marathon record book after what will be remembered, in history, as one of the all-time great Comrades performances; to become the first woman to complete the Up Run in less than 6 hours and concurrently removing a massive 10m 31s from the previous Best Time.

Away from the hysteria at the finish, the other contenders strode almost unnoticed to the finish; every one of whom thoroughly deserved their Gold Medal, earned during a, truly, memorable morning.

RESULT

Current Best Time (Up) : 6h 09m 24s
Elena Nurgalieva (age 29) (Russia) – 2006 (Race Distance 86.700 km)

Number of finishers in Age Category – 1467
Number of finishers in Womens Race – 3052
*First Sub-6h 00m (Up) by a Woman

VETERANS (AGE 40-49)

MASTERS (AGE 50-59)

GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60+)

FIRST SOUTH AFRICAN WOMAN

FIRST FOREIGN WOMAN (NO TROPHY)

COMRADES MARATHON ASSOCIATION SHIELD

First Women's Team
Current Team Best Time (Up) : 27h 50m 03s
Born 2 Run Athletic Club – 2016

75th ANNIVERSARY SHIELD

First Veteran Women's Team
Current Team Best Time (Up) : 31h 37m 53s
Durbanville Athletic Club – 2001

NO TROPHY

First Elite Women's Trophy
Current Team Best Time (Up) : 28h 28m 06s
Nedbank Running Club GN – 2017

SOUTH AFRICAN LEGION TROPHY

First Veteran Woman
Current Best Time (Up) : 6h 18m 33s
Maria Bak (age 42) (Germany) – 2001

PREMIER'S TROPHY

First KZN Woman
Current Best Time (Up) : 6h 45m 45s
Kerry Koen (age 36) – 2012

MISCELLANEOUS TROPHIES

Founder's Trophy
Oldest Finisher

Mastern-Smith Memorial Trophy
Youngest Finisher

Geraldine Watson Trophy
Last Runner to Finish

2020

The Race was cancelled due the world-wide Covid 19 pandemic.

2021

The Race was cancelled due the world-wide Covid 19 pandemic.

2016 Down (91st Race)

THE MENS RACE

With the finish still 44 kilometres away, one aspect of the race was certain. It was not who would be handed the Mayoral Baton, as the race leader, upon entering Kingsmead Stadium. The vexing question was ‘would the Down Record be broken?’

In the end, the record was not broken… it was destroyed… shattered… trashed.

David Gatebe lowered the previous best, set by Russian, Leonid Shvetsov, by 2m 22s; an inordinate result in an age when records are broken by fractions of a second and, in doing so, he set the bar at a level that may prove to be many years ahead of the next generation of aspirant winners.

Once the city had been left behind, a large group, in which all the big names were present, had already assembled in the vanguard, for the dash across the rollercoaster section between the top of Polly Shortts, through Camperdown and Cato Ridge to the crest of Inchanga. The lead had been changing by the minute as the relentless pace continued down the hill to the halfway mark at Drummond. With three previous winners, Ludwick Mamabolo, Bongmusa Mthembu and Claude Moshiywa just strides behind the leader, Bernard Dandadzi, in the lead group through the midpoint, the only certainty was that anyone could win.

Gatebe ran, almost unnoticed, outside the top fifty as Inchanga loomed, but as he went over the top, he pressed the accelerator and went through the checkpoint in seventh position; 1m 45s adrift of the leader. Within two kilometers, he had moved into the lead and from that moment, the race was over. Such was his dominance, as he ran further away from his chief rivals with every stride, the ‘real race’ turned into the fight for the Silver Medal.

Spectators, at the finish in Durban, sat mesmerised in front of the big screen. Striding unchallenged through Hillcrest, the question at the finish was still ‘will he break the record?’ That question changed as Gatebe exited Field’s Hill and ran into Pinetown. It was now ‘by how much will he beat it?’

In little more than an hour, the question was answered. The record was ripped apart; a performance that, in the years ahead, is likely to be recognised as one of the great Comrades performances.

The fight for second place was a bitter struggle that remained unresolved until the final run into the city when Mamabolo broke away, finishing a shade more than two minutes ahead of Mthembu.

RESULT

* First Sub-5:20 Down Run

VETERANS (AGE 40 – 49)

MASTERS (AGE 50 – 59)

GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60 +)

THE WOMENS RACE

There could only be one possible winner.

Caroline Wostmann’s near Up Record in 2015, on a course nearly 900 metres longer than the normal race route – the result of road construction work in Pinetown – and her back-to-back victories in the Two Oceans, made her one of the hottest favourites in a decade.

Despite the unquestioned, and proven, class of those she would be up against – women like Colleen de Reuck and Charne Bosman, the 2015 runner-up – the cognoscenti were adamant; Wostmann had to fail, rather than another having to run way above their known ability, to beat her.

Unlike the men’s race, where the traditional strategy is, for the fancied runners, to hang back and then attack from behind over the closing miles; the women’s race usually sees the leading contenders showing prominently in front, from the outset.

Once the scramble after the start thinned out, Wostmann, always an aggressive front-runner, led the procession out of Pietermaritzburg with Bosman trailing in an ever-lengthening second place. Wostmann’s overwhelming dominance reflected by a lead of 4m 11s, over Bosman, through halfway at Drummond, led spectators at the finish to believe that the winner was already known. This belief was further strengthened when her lead at Pinetown – 20 kilometres from Kingsmead – had stretched to 11m 26s. No one could possibly whittle away more than 30 seconds per kilometer, on the run-in, to cause a major upset; not with a smiling Wostmann flowing so freely.

Cowies Hill, the last major obstacle, loomed and, in the blink of an eye, the complexion of the race changed.

Wostmann was walking up the hill… cramp… the distance-runners number one enemy. She was in trouble, walking and jogging in a painful effort to keep moving. Bosman, on the other hand, was closing, although at Sherwood, a mere 7 kilometres from the finish, she trailed by 8m 23s, a margin that many maintained was still safe for the struggling leader.

Then disaster struck for Wostmann. On the approach to the city centre, in an altercation with a motorcycle-mounted traffic officer, she was knocked to the ground. She struggled to her feet and, on wobbly legs, continued towards Kingsmead.

A few hundred metres further on, Bosman, now in full flight, cruised past. At the finish, Wostmann revealed what a true champion she is. Admitting that the motorcycle incident was a setback, she acknowledged that, although she was still in the lead at the time, she was already beaten and that the mishap had no effect on the final finishing order.

Bosman ran, triumphantly, onto the Kingsmead turf; a clear winner in 6h 25m 55s, slightly less than five minutes ahead of Wostmann.

In the closing stages, away from the television cameras, and oblivious of the drama ahead, Swede, Kajsa Berg, and American, Sarah Bard, contested the Bronze Medal with Berg succeeding by 3m 31s.

RESULT

VETERANS (AGE 40 – 49)

MASTERS (AGE 50 – 59)

GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60 +)

2017 Up (92nd Race)

THE MENS RACE

In the modern era, predicting the winner of the Comrades Marathon is more difficult than selecting the first six numbers to be drawn from the drum in the national lottery. The galaxy of potential winners that assemble on the start line every year, makes a mockery of pre-race predictions.

The stampede out of Durban provided adequate confirmation that any runner could emerge as the one to beat on the day. This was further confirmed by an apparent shift in tactics, particularly among the ‘big’ names. In past years, the TV runners were permitted to go ahead and, ultimately, be swallowed up as the race progressed. That strategy no longer seems to be in vogue. The ‘big’ names prefer to remain in closer contact with the early pacesetters.

First through Pinetown, as the mass of runners swept off the foot of Cowie’s Hill, was Charles Dibate and Mosongo Mokoatsi, together in 1h 12m 25s, with Charles Segalo next in 1h 12m 58s. Following the three leaders, in 1h 13m 15s, was a group of 25, in which all the fancied runners were interspersed. Prominent among them, were former winners Stephen Muzhingi, David Gatebe, Bongmusa Mthembu, Gift Kelehe and Ludwick Mamabolo. With less than a quarter of the distance completed, an epic battle was developing.

Field’s Hill was taken with comparative ease. Dibate still held a slender lead as he went through Winston Park in 1h 57m 11s. Segalo and Marko Mambo were next in 1h 57m 54s, but right on their heels, trailing by 2 seconds was a pack of 12 chasers who, themselves, were covered by only 2 seconds.

Across the hills to the halfway point at Drummond, Segalo found the pace too hot and drifted out of contention, leaving Mambo alone in 2nd place, while Timothy Munzhelele was making a determined surge near the top of the field. The lead positions at Drummond were Dibate (2h 47m 29s), Mambo (2h 49m 07s) and Munzhelele (2h 49m 14s). A mere second behind, in joint 4th position, were all the main contenders, who were destined to contest the major medals, including Mthembu, Nyamande, Mike Fokoroni, Muzhingi, Kalehe and Gatebe.

Gatebe raised the bar, considerably, going up Inchanga and, when the field checked in at Cato Ridge, he had moved into 2nd place (3h 43m 27s) behind a fading Dibate (3h 40m 48s), who still clung, tenaciously, to a diminishing lead. Five metres adrift, in joint 3rd place, the big names were positioning themselves for the final shoot-out. Muzhingi, Nymande, Kelehe and Mamabolo were all, strategically, placed to strike. This group swept past Gatebe and Dibate on the approach to Umlaas Road where the order was Mthembu and Kelehe running side by side (4h 21m 36s), Nyamande (4h 21m 37s) and Mamabolo (4h 22m 09s).

With two major hills looming, and little more than seconds separating the first four, the outcome was in the balance.

Crossing the Mpusheni Stream, Mthembu struck. On Ashburton Hill, the group stretched into a single line as the chasers endeavoured to match Mthembu’s injection of pace and, when the crest of Polly Shortt’s was reached, the finishing order had been settled. Mthembu went over Polly’s in 5h 07m 32s. He was followed by Nyamande (5h 08m 44s) and Kelehe (5h 10m 13s).

The flying Mthembu increased his lead over final few kilometers and entered the finish arena, at the Scottsville Racecourse, to record his second victory.

RESULT

VETERANS (AGE 40 – 49)

MASTERS (AGE 50 – 59)

GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60 +)

THE WOMENS RACE

With South African women victorious in the previous two Comrades Marathons (Caroline Wostmann – 2015 Up – and Charne Bosman – 2016 Down), sentiment was growing that the foreign stranglehold, over the previous 10 to 12 years, was over.

Local hopes, naturally, rested heavily on the shoulders of Wostmann and Bosman. With no acknowledged top performers from abroad in the line-up, another local victory was anticipated. The announcement by Wostmann, shortly before race day, that an injury prevented her from defending her Up title, left Bosman as the outright favourite.

First to show, as the field passed through Pinetown, was Camille Herron (USA) in (1h 18m 24s). She had built a reasonable lead over Jasmin Nunige (Switzerland – 1h 22m 51s). The rest of the top ten positions were Bosman (1h 23m 20s), Sarah Bard (USA) and Coleen De Reuck together (1h 23m 22s), Danette Smith (1h 23m 24s), Alexandra Morozova (Russia – 1h 23m 25s), Stephanie Smith (1h 23m 49s), Devon Yanko (USA – 1h 25m 11s) and Gerda Steyn (1h 25m 42s).

Herron ran untroubled up Field’s Hill and reached Winston Park in (2h 07m 55s), increasing her lead to nearly 7 minutes from Bosman (2h 14m 38s), who had moved into 2nd place. Nunige (2h 14m 42s) was lying 3rd with Morozova (2h 14m 54s) in 4th place. De Reuck followed a few seconds later in 2h 15m 07s.

Herron maintained her 7-minute buffer, over the hilly section, to Drummond and led through the Valley of a Thousand Hills in 3h 07m 23s. Nunige (3h 14m 32s) had reclaimed 2nd place, with Morozova 3rd in 3h 14m 38s. Bosman (3h 14m 57s) and De Reuck (3h 16m 25s) were next through the checkpoint.

On the climb up Inchanga, and across the hills to Cato Ridge, Morozova put in a storming run. At Cato Ridge, she had moved into 2nd position. The order at the Subway was Herron (4h 10m 11s), Morozova (4h 16m 55s), Nunige (4h 18m 26s), Bosman (4h 18m 35s) and De Reuck (4h 23m 27s).

As Umlaas Road approached, Herron’s lead over Morozova was 6 minutes. Bosman was back in 3rd place, a further 3 minutes in arrears. Steyn, who had run conservatively from the start, through Pinetown and over Inchanga, had shifted up a gear and overhauled many ahead of her, came past in 4th place.

The big test now lay ahead; Ashburton and Polly Shortt’s Hills in quick succession. On these two monster obstacles, Herron maintained her pace, but Morozova was closing in. When she went over the top of Polly’s, she was less than 5 minutes behind Herron, who was timed at the top of the hill in 5h 54m 00s. Bosman was 3rd in 6h 05m 34s.

With the finish drawing ever closer, it was clear that Morozova’s gallant dash would not succeed. The distance to Herron was just too great.

Herron crossed the line at the Scottsville Racecourse, a worthy victrix, in 6h 27m 35s. She was followed by Morozova, Bosman and Steyn.

RESULT

VETERANS (AGE 40 – 49)

MASTERS (AGE 50 – 59)

GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60 +)

2018 Down (93rd Race)

THE MENS RACE

“It’s a two-horse race” opined the cognoscenti. “Gatebe or Mthembu? It has to be one of that pair. No one else is in with a realistic chance.”

Can Gatebe reproduce his fabulous 2016 Down Run best time performance? Can defending 2017 champion, Mthembu join the elite ranks of those with a third victory? Those were the vexing questions that were about to be resolved.

Race strategy appears to be undergoing a major change from the accepted tactics of the Eighties and Nineties when the ‘big names’ were content to sit back and watch the race develop before striking decisively for the final onslaught.

The only similarity with those bygone times is that the huge stampede out of the starting city, by the no-hopers, continues. However, the charge from the start now contains a new element. The ‘big names’ don’t allow the early pacemakers get too far ahead; they now go with them.

When the huge field of 19000 stormed out of Pietermaritzburg, the lead group was unable to break free from the top contenders. On the surge down Polly Shortt’s, a sole runner, Khoarahlane Seutoali from Lesotho, slowly edged away from the packed field and held a slender advantage at the first checkpoint at the Lion Park turn-off; sixteen kilometres from the start.

He passed the checkpoint in 57m 29s; a mere 15 seconds ahead of the avalanche that followed in 57m 44s. In the next 16 seconds, 43 runners stormed through. The chasing group included nine runners who would emerge as Gold Medallists a little more than four-and-a-half hours later. The soul Gold Medallist not in the lead batch was Teboho Sello who trailed by 66 seconds.

The fourteen-kilometre stretch to Cato Ridge developed into a wait-and-see exercise for the real contenders, while a few unknown runners made their presence known. Richard Mavuso led the field through the Cato Ridge subway in 1h 50m 13s. Then followed Thandokwakhe Ngcobo and Zimbabwean, Marko Mambo in 1h 50m 33s. They were followed by a small group comprising Calvin Matekola, Bongmusa Mthembu, Philan Nkomo and Charles Tjiane (all 1h 50m 34s) with Graham Malinga (1h 50m 35s), Joseph Mphuthi (1h 50m 36s) and Edward Mothibi (1h 50m 37s) closing out a congested first ten.

Mavuso hung on gamely across the hills to the midpoint at Drummond passing the checkpoint in 2h 41m 27s with slim lead of 23 seconds over Mike Fokoroni (2h 41m 50s) who had moved into contention on the drop into the Valley of a Thousand Hills. Close behind, in a procession with runners just strides apart, came Mambo and Mothibi (2h 41m 51s), Mphuthi, David Gatebe and Ethiopian, Kabede Dinke together (2h 41m 52s), Mthembu (2h 41m 53s), Sello (2h 41m 54s) and Gordon Lasetedi (2h 41m 55s). Many other perennial top performers had assembled within strides of the lead group. The closely-packed, congested field promised a thrilling second-half dash into Durban.

On the climb to Alveston, it became clear that Mavuso’s challenge was over. As he faded, the chasing pack swarmed past and as the Winston Park checkpoint approached, it became clear that the ‘big guns’ had positioned themselves for the final gambit. The heavy artillery was about to be unleashed.

Going through Winston Park in 3h 31m 07s, Mambo, looking impressive, had moved into a tenuous lead. He was followed by the quartet Mthembu, Mphuthi, Mothibi and Gatebe (all 3h 32m 10s) with Sello and Dinke a stride back in 3h 32m 11s. Lesetedi (3h 32m 20s), the improving Gift Kelehe (3h 32m 23s) and Fokoroni (3h 32m 53s), drifting back, completed the first ten.

The shoot-out commenced, as it often has in the past, on the monster drop down Field’s Hill, on the approaches to Pinetown. The first to be greeted by the massive crowd in Pinetown was the threesome of Gatebe, Mthembu and Mothibi. They passed the Crompton Street intersection together in 4h 09m 50s. Next came Mambo (4h 10m 11s), Mphuthi (4h 10m 20s), Sello (4h 12m 35s) and Lesetedi (4h 13m 14s). The Englishman, Steven Way (4h 14m 58s) made a definitive move down Field’s; entering the Gold Medal brigade. He was followed by Kelehe (4h 15m 37s) and a game Fokoroni (4h 15m 57s) who was clearly struggling to remain in the top ten. Just outside the Gold Medal positions, Nkosinathi Duma, moving effortlessly, was next through in 4h 18m 46s.

As the Armada sailed into Durban, past the Mayville checkpoint, with a shade over 30 minutes running ahead of them, all the final Gold Medallists had assembled themselves in the top ten places. All ten were clearly ‘on the move’ and heading the charge through Mayville was a fired-up Mthembu in 4h 53m 32s, followed by Mothibi (4h 58m 13s), Mphuthi (4h 59m 26s), Mambo (5h 00m 39s), the flying Way (5h 01m 50s), Gatebe (5h 02m 38s), Lesetedi (5h 03m 00s), Sello (5h 05m 11s), Kelehe (5h 08m 32s) and Duma (5h 08m 38s). Leading the pack, en route to the Moses Mabhida Stadium, Mthembu showed his class as a true champion. With just 8 kilometres remaining, a mammoth effort would be required by his chasers to reel him in.

The rapturous applause he encountered along the final few hundred metres, to Moses Mabhida Stadium, erupted into a continuous roll of thunder as he entered the new finish arena to complete a superb performance for his third victory.

RESULT

Current Best Time : 5h 18m 19s

David Gatebe – 2016

VETERANS (AGE 40 – 49)

Current Best Time : 5h 27m 22s

Vladimir Kotov (Berlarus) – 2001

MASTERS (AGE 50 – 59)

Current Best Time : 5h 48m 12s

Vladimir Kotov (Belarus) – 2012

GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60 +)

Current Best Time : 6h 52m 08s

Peter Camenzind (Switzerland) – 2012

THE WOMENS RACE

Disappointment ruled in the days leading up to race day.

In the middle of May, former winner, Caroline Wostmann, announced that a persistent injury was not responding to treatment and that, reluctantly, she could not risk running.

Then, a week before race day, defending champion, 2017 winner, Camille Heron of the USA, advised that an injury forced her to withdraw from the race.

This news threw the race wide open. It certainly offered opportunities to Alexandra Morozova of Russia and local hope, Charne Bosman, second and third respectively in 2017, to claim the laurels. Gerda Steyn, fourth in 2017, was regarded as having an outside chance.

The competitiveness of the women’s race was clearly gaining momentum and race strategy was changing. In past years, the main contenders were markedly superior, with the result that positions were established early on and very few changes occurred during the remainder of the race.

That changed dramatically this year. The race developed along lines similar to the strategies of the men’s race with the potential Gold Medallists remaining in close contention, early on, and keeping a watchful eye on moves by their major opponents.

Charne Bosman, led the charge out of Pietermaritzburg, but she was never allowed to venture too far ahead. She reached the Lion Park turn-off in 1h 05m 13s; a lead of a minute over Gerda Steyn (1h 06m 22s), with the Russian, Alexandra Morozova next (1h 06m 32s). Following the leading three were Nina Zarina of Russia (1h 06m 33s), Tanith Maxwell (1h 06m 52s), Ann Ashworth (1h 07m 03s), Carla Molinaro of England (1h 07m 57s), American, Sarah Bard (1h 08m 16s), Tendaye Tibane (1h 08m 32s) with Monica Kativhu of Zimbabwe (1h 08m 33s) in tenth position.

The unknown Zarina drew level with Bosman a kilometre before Cato Ridge, passing through the village together in 2h 07m 16s. Morozova (2h 07m 17s) and Steyn (2h 07m 18s) were next through. Mere metres separated the leading quartet, Then, in close order were Ashworth (2h 08m 22s) and Maxwell (2h 08m 24s). The first ten were closed with Molinaro (2h 10m 50s), Bard (2h 12m 23s), Yoland McLean (2h 14m 03s) and Devon Yanko of the USA (2h 14m 29s).

Shortly after Cato Ridge, Zarina revealed her intentions with a determined surge and led the field into Drummond at the halfway mark, arriving in 3h 05m 59s. Bosman appeared uncomfortable as she approached the midpoint with Morozova (3h 06m 12s), Steyn (3h 06m 25s) and Ashworth (3h 06m 33s) going through Drummond ahead of her. Bosman was clocked at (3h 06m 41s), with Maxwell (3h 06m 42s) on her heels. The trip between Cato Ridge and Drummond appeared to have troubled most of the pursuers. An appreciable gap had opened before the next group arrived. Next through were Molinaro (3h 13m 12s), Bard (3h 14m 42s), Yanko (3h 16m 11s) and Sophia Sundberg, from Sweden (3h 16m 45s).

With the race now moving into the critical second half, the main contenders were maneuvering themselves into strategic strike mode, while the pretender’s first signs of weakness were surfacing. Over the difficult hilly section to Winston Park, Zarina lost ground as the pace picked up. Ashworth made a surprise early attack and reached the checkpoint in 4h 01m 25s with Steyn and Morozova passing together in 4h 02m 07s. Bosman was holding on in 4th place in 4h 04m 53s with Maxwell five metres adrift in 4h 04m 55s. Zarina, struggling, had fallen back to 6th position, passing by in 4h 08m 52s, but her race was clearly over. She would soon fade away to eventually finish in 22nd place. Chasing Zarina through Winston Park, at regular intervals, came Molinaro (4h 16m 03s), Bard (4h 17m 17s), the improving Sundberg (4h 18m 15s), Yanko (4h 20m 13s) and McLean (4h 20m 20s).

Dropping down Field’s Hill, Morozova trod on the accelerator, drew away from Steyn and, as she came off the bottom of the hill heading into Pinetown, went ahead of Ashworth.

The order at the Crompton Street checkpoint was

1st Morozova 4h 45m 39s

2nd Ashworth 4h 45m 41s

3rd Steyn 4h 46m 31s

4th Maxwell 4h 49m 39s

5th Bosman 4h 53m 08s

6th Zarina 5h 05m 56s

7th Sundberg 5h 05m 58s

8th Molinaro 5h 06m 30s

9th Bard 5h 07m 55s

10th Yanko 5h 09m 43s

Unnoticed at this late stage, Salome Cooper was running a stormer; slicing through those ahead of her as Durban appeared on the distant horizon. Entering the city, Ashworth moved into top gear and put 3 minutes between herself and Steyn by the time she reached Mayville in 5h 35m 11s. Steyn was next in 3h 38m 03s. Morozova was holding steady in 3rd place in 3h 39m 47s. Then followed Maxwell (5h 42m 30s), Bosman (5h 51m 47s), Sundberg (6h 04m 15s), Molinaro (6h 07m 11s), Yanko (6h 07m 25s), Bard (6h 08m 21s) with Cooper, making her first appearance among the Gold Medallists, in 6h 10m 13s.

Over the final 8 kilometres there was no stopping Ashworth. She stormed away from her pursuers, entering the finish in 6h 10m 04s, three-and-a-half minutes ahead of Steyn. Cooper’s valiant late effort, however, cost her dearly as she was overtaken by McLean three kilometres from the finish.

RESULT

Current Best Time : 5h 54m 43s

Frith van der Merwe – 1989

VETERANS (AGE 40 – 49)

Current Best Time : 6h 18m 33s

Maria Bak (Germany) – 2003

MASTERS (AGE 50 – 59)

Current Best Time : 6h 50m 21s

Colleen De Reuck – 2016

GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60 +)

Current Best Time : 8h 24m 00s

Jenny Allebone – 2005

MISCELLANEOUS TROPHIES

2010 Down (85th Race)

THE MENS RACE

Stephen Muzhingi’s demolition of Leonid Shvetsov in 2009 prompted the question “Has the era of foreign domination ended?”

When the field of nearly 16 500 left the Pietermaritzburg City Hall, in perfect running weather at 5:30, by 11 o’clock the answer would be known.

Leading the field on its journey to Durban was the usual group of top standard marathon performers whose sole objective was the lure of the hotspot prizes on offer.

Behind them two groups, which contained all the main contenders, developed. Stephen Muzhingi was the pace-setter in the first group that included Peter Muthubi, Charles Tjiane and Lucas Nonyana. The following group had Vladimir Kotov as the driver. Hotspot chaser, Wellington Chidodo was timed through Drummond at 2h 37m 15s after which he soon faded to nowhere.

Tjiane, who had broken away from the main group, went through halfway with an advantage of eight minutes over the Muzhingi group. This was, perhaps, a wake-up call to those behind who probably realised that it was Tjiane who, in 2009, led all the way to Pinetown and was caught, as he tired, on the run-in to the finish, to eventually take third place. Maybe this was the year for him to last all the way.

Muzhingi, Claude Moshiywa, Bethuel Netshifhefhe and Fanie Matshipa set off in pursuit of the leader. Unlike last year, Tjiane unexpectedly faded and was walking as he neared Winston Park, but his lead was so great that the Muzhingi quartet finally reeled him in at Kloof.

Unknown to everyone, though, Ludwick Mamabolo and Bongmusa Mthembu, both lost in the main pack through halfway, were turning in a storming run over the final quarter of the race.

Moshiywa accelerated on the big drop down Field’s Hill where, firstly Netshifhefhe, and then Muzhingi drifted off the pace. The crowd at Kingsmead went into raptures on hearing that a South African was leading the race through Pinetown.

Moments later the raptures were silenced when the big screen at Kingsmead showed Moshiywa walking towards the foot of Cowies Hill. Muzhingi had recovered and went into the lead and stayed there, crossing the finish line more than six minutes before Mamabolo arrived, with Mtembu another two minutes adrift.

Returning to the question “Has the Russian strangle hold been broken?”

The first Russian home was Grigory Murzin in 21st place.

Apart from Muzhingi (Zimbabwe) and Noto (Lesotho, 9th) the remaining Gold medals fell into South African hands.

In positions 11 to 20, Prodigal Khumalo (Zimbabwe) finished 11th with South Africans filling out the rest.

RESULT

VETERANS (AGE 40 – 49)

MASTERS (AGE 50 – 59)

GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60 +)

THE WOMENS RACE

While great joy flowed from the result of the Men’s Race, there was little joy for local supporters in the Women’s Race with visitors taking seven of the Gold medals; five of them – including the top three positions – going to Russia. Again it was Farwa Mentoor who led the local challenge; finishing fifth.

Mentoor was indisputably the top South African woman of the decade and, in all probability, the greatest ever. It is unfortunate that her peak – she earned nine Golds from nine starts – arrived during the wrong decade.

The race, as a spectacle was a disappointment, as it appeared that the Nurgalieva twins would, again, have things all their own way. They once again adopted their proven tactic of going to the front from there gun and staying there. At Camperdown, twenty-six kilometers into the race, they already held a four-minute lead over Marina Myshlyanova and that was how it remained the entire way into Durban. When they entered Kingsmead Stadium, the contrived result gave Elena a one-second victory over Olesya, the distance back to Myshlyanova had stretched to thirteen minutes.

RESULT

VETERANS (AGE 40 – 49)

MASTERS (AGE 50 – 59)

GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60 +)

2011 Up (86th Race)

THE MENS RACE

Could Stephen Muzhingi become the first man to score a hat trick since Bruce Fordyce in 1983?

From the moment the gun sent the field away from the Durban City Hall, the pace was furious with the customary hotspot hunters to the fore. Wellington Chidodo and Samuel Pazanga were way out in front when they reached the first hotspot in Pinetown. Muzhingi was in the following group in which very few big names went with him. Fanie Matshipa and Butiki Jantjies were there, but the group was already five minutes behind the leading trio. The serious contenders, Bongmusa Mthembu, Fusi Nhlapo and Claude Moshiywa appeared to be playing a waiting game, hanging back at this early stage.

Pazanga left his companion and moved well clear as he accelerated up Field’s Hill. Also running very strongly, and moving ahead of the Muzhingi group was Point Chaza. He caught an exhausted Pazanga going up Botha’s Hill to lead through Drummond in a fast 2h 39m. Next through was Eltas Mabane in 2h 44m 34s with Muzhingi, looking comfortable, following in 2h 46m.

Inchanga is always the catalyst. Whoever comes over the top looking untroubled, is usually thereabouts when the dash for the line commences. When Muzhingi summited the climb, only Matshipa and Lesotho novice, Teboho Sello, where at his side. Chaza, meanwhile had further increased his lead. This was certainly the reason for the sudden injection of pace. Sello soon fell away when the chase commenced and, after more than 3h 30m on the clock, the flying duo hauled in Chaza along Harrison Flats.

Matshipa was moving more freely as they closed in on Pietermaritzburg and looked set to strike at any moment. But it was not to be. Despite his misleadingly uneconomical style, Muzhingi kicked on the climb up Polly Shortts. Matshipa could not respond. Muzhingi went away from him to score a deserved hat trick.

RESULT

VETERANS (AGE 40 – 49)

MASTERS (AGE 50 – 59)

GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60 +)

THE WOMENS RACE

It was the Nurgalieva show again. And again they adopted their standard strategy; going to the front from the gun… and staying there… while the rest raced for the Bronze medal.

The only difference was that this year it would be a lot closer and they would, finally, have to run hard for their victory. They led through the checkpoint at Pinetown with a string of unknown visitors – Kami Semick, from the USA, and Lizzy Hawker and Eleanor Greenwood from England – not too far adrift. They climbed Field’s Hill with ease but passing through Kloof, at the top of the hill, Elena was bowled over by a runner from behind. Rising, with blood streaming from both knees as she did a few years before, she carried on and soon drew level with her sister.

They went through Drummond on record pace in 3h 04m, with Elena 2 strides ahead of Olesya. Hawker followed four minutes later. As it does so often, Inchanga plays a major role in the final standings and going up the hill, the first chinks in the Nurgalieva armour appeared. They were followed closely by Hawker, who was overtaken by Semick, before the summit arrived.

Despite the near record pace to halfway, and perhaps because of it, all prospects of a new record disappeared during the second half of the race. The twins hung on while Semick tried desperately to reduce the distance between them. The lead was, in the end, just too great.

Elena breasted the tape twenty-five seconds ahead of Olesya, while Semick failed by less than two minutes to annex the Silver Medal.

Once again, it was Farwa Mentoor to lead home the local hopes, finishing fifth. Like Gordon Baker in the Mens Race during the 60s and 70s, she is undoubtedly the best ever runner, unfortunatel, destined never to win the world’s greatest ultra.

RESULT

VETERANS (AGE 40 – 49)

MASTERS (AGE 50 – 59)

GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60 +)

2012 Down (87th Race)

THE MENS RACE

It was expected to be a shoot-out from the moment the first shot was fired at 5:30 that morning. No prisoners were going to be taken; no mercy was anticipated from any of the protagonists. The slightest sign of weakness would be exploited and the vanquished left withering, forlornly on the roadside.

All the elements were in place for an expected classic scrap… Muzhingi vs Shvetsov.

Stephen Muzhingi from Zimbabwe; defending champion… with a hat trick of victories in the previous three years.

Leonid Shvetsov from Russia; back-to-back Up and Down Best Times, in 2007 and 2008, made him the fastest man ever in either direction.

The anticipation was palpable… hanging heavily on the air, it could be felt pressing down on your shoulders. In the distance, a cock was heard crowing… a gunshot echoed across the city… and a huge cheer erupted from the masses that waited patiently for the bloodbath that was imminent.

There were other major players waiting anxiously in the wings in the pre-dawn chill. If the two big guns misfired, they were sure to pounce. The heavy artillery, running alongside Muzhingi and Shvetsov in the early stages, carried names such as Ludwick Mamabolo, Claude Moshiywa, Gift Kelehe, Petros Sosibo, Fusi Nhlapo and Bongmusa Mthembu. That array of talent, as it drifted out of Pietermaritzburg, was capable of turning any expert predictions upside down.

Once out of the city, the lead group, which included all the main contenders, remained in close contact, despite swapping positions within itself, over the first half of the race. Climbing out of Drummond, Mamabolo strode to the front. A few minor challenges were mounted but were easily repulsed. Mthembu gradually worked his way past the Gold Medal contenders, moving into second position on the ascent of Cowie’s Hill. The Best Time for the Down Run was not in danger and Mamabolo, running a tactical, controlled pace, retained a 100-second lead over Mthembu while the rest of the chasers steadily dropped further behind.

RESULT

VETERANS (AGE 40 – 49)

MASTERS (AGE 50 – 59)

GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60 +)

THE WOMENS RACE

The foreign juggernaut was expected to continue, with the East Europeans, in the form of the Russian contingent, leading the charge.

When the Gold Medals were, subsequently, allocated a Russian quartet had claimed four of the ten on offer.

The twin threat posed by the Nurgalieva sisters, however, was blunted when Olesya, who had shortly before given birth to a daughter, could not run. Knowledgeable opinion soon speculated that, without her twin sister at hand, Elena might not be the force that she was in recent years.

That theory was blown away almost from the moment the field set off for the coast. Elena went to front, and stayed there, and broke the tape at Kingsmead Stadium with her fastest time for the Down Run. Her 6h 07m 12s secured her 7th victory in the ten years since she ran, and won, as a novice in 2003.

She was, however, pushed to her limit by Eleanor Greenwood, of Great Britain. This was, no doubt, a contributory factor for Nurgalieva’s fast time and, despite a concerted push towards the death, Greenwood failed by little more than three hundred metres to reel in the flying winner.

Such was the pace of the two front-runners; the remaining chasers were never in contention. Perennial Gold Medalist, Marina Zhalybina – who collected her eleventh Gold – trailed in more than 22 minutes behind the runner-up.

RESULT

VETERANS (AGE 40 – 49)

MASTERS (AGE 50 – 59)

GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60 +)

2013 (88th Race)

THE MENS RACE

The heat and wind combined to make running conditions the second most difficult in the 88-year history of the Comrades Marathon. Only in 1965, when the rain bucketed down for the entire day, were the contestants faced with a tougher challenge.

It has certainly been hotter in some years and the wind has blown more forcefully in others, but the combined effects, this year, suppressed anticipated performances at all levels throughout the field.

The major concern facing the echelon of top contenders, however, was not the weather. The real problem was that there were only ten Gold Medals on offer.

There were twelve or thirteen men who were all aspirant claimants to these few precious metal discs.

Justin Chitake, Charles Soza and William Chinyanga had established the lead through Pinetown. They were followed closely by Claude Moshiywa, Ludwick Mamabolo, Marko Mambo and Mike Fokoroni. Not too far adrift of this quartet was Moses Njodzi and David Gatebe. Approaching Hillcrest, it was clear that Chitake had over-extended himself and he surrendered the lead to Gatebe and Njodzi who seemed to be running at a speed that, in the conditions, was unwise. Gatebe submitted before halfway. Njodzi was timed through Drummond in a very fast 2h 40m 02s but he, too, capitulated to the Moshiywa group – which was, itself, also in a state of disintegration – while walking on the climb up Inchanga.

Going over the top, the lead group comprised Moshiywa, Fokoroni, Johannes Kekana and Rufus Photo but, at short intervals, on the roller-coaster section to Cato Ridge, Photo, and then Fokoroni, dropped off the pace, leaving Moshiywa and Kekana to contest the lead to Pietermaritzburg.

The big hills into the city were, however, the final arbiters. Sweden’s Jonas Buud and Lesotho’s Mpesela Ntlosoeu were, meantime storming through the remnants of the early pace-setters. Both hauled in Kekana on Polly Shortts and held on to take the Silver and Bronze Medallions. But Moshiywa was much too far out of reach.

RESULT

VETERANS (AGE 40 – 49)

MASTERS (AGE 50 – 59)

GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60 +)

THE WOMENS RACE

It seemed as if there was no way of stopping it. The Russian steamroller steamed through again. The Nurgalieva twins were back… with a vengeance, despite there being other top performers in 2012 Runner-Up, Eleanor Greenwood, and regular Gold Medalist, Farwa Mentoor, in the line-up. Either was capable of causing an upset and taking line-honours.

The twins set out from the start, seemingly, to break the opposition. They were never in any kind of trouble and led from gun to tape.

Passing through halfway at Drummond, where they held a 9-minute advantage over South African novice, Charne Bosman, it appeared they were aiming at a new record, despite the uncompromising weather.

Over the second half, maybe because of the weather, they slowed considerably; subsequently recording their slowest-ever Comrades times. Fellow Russian, Irina Antropova, came through strongly, at the death, to finish third.

Elena Nurgalieva recorded a fourth successive win and Olesya was runner-up for the third time in the last four years. If it was not for the birth of her child during 2012, it might have been four in a row.

Bosman soldiered on but the distance, ultimately, defeated her and she also experienced the extreme disappointment of losing fourth position at the final moment; being overtaken in the home straight and finished fifth.

RESULT

VETERANS (AGE 40 – 49)

MASTERS (AGE 50 – 59)

GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60 +)

2014 Down (89th Race)

THE MENS RACE

In 1979 and 1980 Bruce Fordyce finished 3rd and 2nd… and we know what happened after that.

In the build-up to race-day someone, or everyone, overlooked the two previous year’s results. Bongmusa Mthembu had ‘done a Fordyce’ in 2012 and 2013 and in the pre-race hype, his name was barely mentioned when ‘those in the know’ made their forecasts. The talk was all about Mike Fokoroni, Ludwick Mamabolo, Prodigal Khumalo and Marko Mambo.

In warm pleasant weather, all the early running was done by two rabbits who were never going to be around when the real race started. They were after the hotspot money and nothing more. They led the main group through halfway at Drummond by 6 minutes.

A massive group of thirty, which included all those who were destined to feature in the cut-and-thrust, two-and-a-half hours later, on the approach to Durban, passed through Drummond in 2h 42m. Within minutes, the rabbits were swallowed up.

Entering Hillcrest, Mambo made his break and his flowing, elegant style indicated that this might be his day. It wasn’t. His hamstring seized on the drop down Field’s Hill… and he never went any further. Rufus Photo went to the front as they exited the hill. He was followed through Pinetown by three-time winner, Stephen Muzhingi, Mamabolo, Gift Kelehe and Mthembu.

With Cowies Hill looming, Mthembu went past those around him and set his sights on Photo. A few strides into the last major climb of the day, Photo went backwards, leaving Mthembu alone out in front; a position from where he consolidated his supremacy and moved further out of reach with every step. Mamabolo and Kelehe moved into the Silver and Bronze Medal slots, but the flying Mthembu was gone; running alone into Kingsmead Stadium, putting gaps of five and six minutes between him and his two chasers.

RESULT

VETERANS (AGE 40 – 49)

MASTERS (AGE 50 – 59)

GRANDMASTERS (AGE 60 +)

THE WOMENS RACE

Was it going to be another one-two for the Russians?

Everyone in the media felt that was the way it would likely pan out when the field closed in on Durban shortly after 12:30 on race-day, although 2012 runner-up, Eleanor Greenwood was given, at best, only a very outside chance.

It certainly appeared to be heading in that direction when the race got under. The Nurgalieva sisters went straight to the front and seemed bent on destroying the rest of the contenders who trailed forlornly in their wake.

They powered through halfway in 3h 3m having put more than four minutes between themselves and Greenwood and fifteen minutes ahead of Charne Bosman, the leading South African.

From that point, it merely became more depressing for the rest of the field as the Nurgalievas drew ever further ahead. So fast were they running, over the short, taxing trip to the crest of Botha’s Hill, the gap to Greenwood stretched to 8m 29s.

As the weather warmed up, so did the action behind the flying leaders. Bosman surrendered in Pinetown, while Zola Budd came into the frame only to falter and allowing Caroline Wostmann to take up the South African challenge.

Perhaps their murderous early pace did the damage because, going through Westville, first Olesya, then Elena, revealed that they were in serious trouble. Walks became frequent… looking over the shoulder… body language that all was not well. Roadside spectators told Greenwood that the twins were in trouble. At Mayville, 7 kilometres from home, Greenwood shifted up a gear into overdrive. Passing through Tollgate, she saw the lead vehicle in the distance.

With just three kilometres to run, Greenwood hit the front.

The Russian juggernaut had, finally, been subdued.

RESULT