THIS year’s Nedbank Runified Breaking Barriers 50 km returns to Nelson Mandela Bay on Sunday, 6 March 2022. Starting on Marine Drive, a host of top national and international athletes will complete the flat and fast 10km loop five times in their quest to break the existing 50km world records.
Irvette Van Zyl will face stiff competition this year from not only some of South Africa’s finest ultramarathoners, but also a strong influx of international competitors from all corners of the globe. Leading the charge of the challengers will be Nedbank Running Club international athlete Alexandra Morozova from Russia. She finished second, third and second in her three Comrades Marathon attempts and last year finished fourth in the Nedbank Runified Breaking Barriers 50 km. Morozova recently ran 2:32:44 at the Stockholm Marathon.
Also making the trek to the Nelson Mandela Bay will be Nedbank Running Club international teammate Caitriona Jennings, who hails from Ireland. Jennings finished third on her debut Comrades back in 2019 and will be a force to be reckoned with.
East African athletes Amelework Bosho and Almaz Erba lead the Ethiopian contingent, who will be looking to make a name for themselves. Kenyan Lucy Lesempe heads into this year’s event looking to go one better than Nedbank Running Club and Kenya’s Lilian Chemweno, who finished second last year.
Hometown favourite Ntombesintu Mfunzi will be using the local support to spur her on, come race day. The always smiling Mfunzi took part in last year’s event but after halfway a pre-race injury saw her pull out.
– ISSUED: HARWOOD
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