South Africa’s premier standard marathon (42.2km), the Soweto Marathon, is upon us again - on Sunday. And once again, South Africa’s prowess in marathon-running is under the spotlight, for valid reasons. Before unknown Michael Mazibuko won the men’s race last year, the title had been in the hands of visiting athletes, mainly from Lesotho.
At the age of 24 Mazibuko emerged at the right time for marathon running, albeit Kenya introduces international marathoners from the age of 20. His victory last year, which was totally unexpected, raised hopes for the country which in the past had produced some of the finest marathon runners in the world.
The Soweto Marathon used to be the stage where these great home brewed marathoners used to meet. I caught the tail end of that era when I was a sports reporter. Previews ahead of the Soweto race used to be like a boy’s walk through the candy market: plenty of goodies but difficult to make a choice. It was like that trying to write about the marathon 15 years ago; lots of contenders that you ended up dedicating a story to most of them – for weeks ahead of the race.
Just to take you down memory lane, in 1997, a year after I had started my career as a sports writer, the following were contenders for the Soweto Marathon title that year: Abel Mokibe, Zithulele Sinqe, Daniel Radebe and the crazy and yet talented Eric Mhlongo. There were other contenders whose names I can't recall now, and that’s how strong South Africa was in the marathon.
This year there is high hope that Mazibuko could repeat his feat. And beyond him, there is talk about veterans Johannes Kekana and Gert Thys being contenders for the main title. I admire the two guys for what they have done for roadrunning, but winning the Soweto Marathon on Sunday is unlikely. Just to illustrate my point, Thys ran for SA in the Olympic Games in 1996. This is how far back one has to go to recollect Thys’ best years.
Kekana showed he still has that winning mentality when he won the City to City marathon in September. Now as far as my experience goes, well as a roadrunning writer, it is a big, big ask to pursue a marathon victory two months after competing to win another race, more so an ultra as the City to City is 50km-long. If Kekana were 24, I would hold thumbs up for him. But at 40, well it’s up to him to prove the sceptic in me wrong.
Here’s hoping that if Mazibuko does not do a double take, then hopefully someone new would come out of the woods of some corner of the country to clinch the title and its R100 000 first prize. Thanks to the big pay, the Lesotho and Zimbabwe guys would be coming down the mountains and crossing rivers, in their quest for the jackpot in Soweto.
Lesotho is in mean mood after Mazibuko’s interruption last year, when he beat Moeketsi Mosuhli to second place. Mosuhli and fellow countrymen, two-time winner Mabhutile Lebopo, Lebenya Nkoka and Teboho Sello (2007 winner) are some of the Lesotho men favoured to recapture the title on Sunday at Nasrec.
Not to be scoffed at is the challenge by the Zimbos, who often show more hunger for success in any race than other runners.
The absence of known strong contenders for the women’s race has virtually handed Lesotho’s Mmamorallo Tjoka the title – for the seventh time!
Here’s hoping the weather would play fair with the athletes and spectators, allowing for a memorable race day. I won’t be at the race this time, due to other commitments. Good luck to all, more so the SA runners!
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