- Local athletes are gearing up to participate in the Nelson Mandela Bay 1 City Marathon and 21km at the Fairview racecourse in Greenbushes on Saturday, December 2.
- There will be a dedicated pacemaker, up to 35km, for athletes wishing to run their personal best times.
- The only two female bus pacers, Nosita Nqwataand and Olwethu Bomvana will lead the sub-5h bus.
Local athletes are gearing up to take part in the Nelson Mandela Bay 1City Marathon and 21km at the Fairview racecourse in Greenbushes on Saturday, December 2.
Last year the marathon event attracted over 1 500 eager runners and this year a strong turnout is expected, with the introduction of pacing buses for the marathon.
There will be a dedicated pacemaker, up to 35km, for athletes wishing to run their personal best times.
National champions, Thabang Mosiako, Melikaya Frans, and Simon Sibeko, will be leading the sub-2h30min bus.
Athletes will be able to pick a bus that suits their race finish time goal, with pacing buses also arranged for sub-3h, 4h, 4h30min, 4h50min and 5h – the qualifying finish time for the Comrades Marathon.
Siyabonga Honi will lead the sub-3h bus, Mkhululi Jack the sub-4h bus, Jabulani Dube the sub-4h30 bus, and Mkokeli Malghas will lead the sub-4h50 bus.
The only two female bus pacers, Nosita Nqwataand and Olwethu Bomvana, will lead the sub-5h bus.
Local evergreen athletes, Margie Saunders and Desmond Zibi, are both participating in this event. Saunders, who runs for Nedbank Running Club, is competing in the 21km and is keen to break the SA Half Marathon 21.1km record – which is 1:46 for her age category, 70+ years.
She added,
Last year Zimbabwean athlete, Winfred Mutiro, led from the start, and held a fast pace of 3.20s for the first 35km, only slowing slightly in the last seven kilometres when faced with a strong headwind to finish in a time of 2:22.03.
Anna Moeketsi, of Mr Price Free State, was the first woman home with a strong lead in 3:03.57.
Yanga Malusi, of Boxer Athletics Club, won the NMB 2 City 21km last year in 1:07.59, with local favourite, Ntombezintu Mfunzi, running for Nedbank, finishing first in the 21km in a time of 1:22.46.
The male and female marathon winners will pocket R12 500 cash each, from a total prize purse of over R128 000 for all marathon and half-marathon age category winners.
Both the 42.2km marathon and the 21.1km will start and finish at the Fairview Racecourse in Draaifontein Road, Greenbushes.
The scenic run follows a circular route via Tembani, Westlands and Seaview Roads, with an out-and-back loop into Lakeside Road, returning via Altona Road. The two distances split at 18km; thereafter the 21km route takes a left into Draaifontein Road towards the finish, and the marathon turns right to do an out-and-back loop into Cape Road.
Entry for the marathon is R240. EPA-registered participants 60 and over will pay R120. The 21.1km fee is R160, though EPA-registered participants 60 and over will pay R80. The temporary licence is R40.
Collection of race numbers and late entries will be available from EP Athletics offices at Westbourne Oval, Westbourne Road, Central, from 12:00 to 19:00 on Friday, December 1. Only race number collection will be allowed on race day at Fairview Racecourse from 04:30 until 05:30.
Electronic timing will be done by Mobiielite and results will be available online and on the EPA website.
For more info, visit www.webtickets.co.za, contact Michael Mbambani at 079 149 6796 or Irene at 083 299 1775.
