Running News Daily

Defending champions Kenyan Justin Kemboi Chesire and local favorite Gerda Steyn are hoping to successfully defend their titles at Two Oceans

A quality field of top local and international elite athletes will take part in this year's Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town on Saturday April 20.

Defending champions Kenyan Justin Kemboi Chesire (3:09:22) and local favourite Gerda Steyn (3:39:32), both from Nedbank Running Club, will be hoping to successfully defend their titles.

Steyn is training with an end goal of Comrades in mind, and with the Easter weekend being that much later this year, it might be a tough task to pull off both wins.

Chesire's training has been going according to plan but he can expect some tough competition from a quality field of ultra runners who have all been training to win.

His fellow countryman Abraham Kiprotich, who boasts the fastest marathon of the entire field (2:10 at the Istanbul Marathon late last year), will be running his first ultra marathon and it will be an interesting test to see how he fares over the last 14km with the Constantia Nek climb part of this last section.

Another popular Maxed Elite runner, Zimbabwean Prodigal Khumalo, is back running after a foot injury had him sidelined since December last year. Khumalo has chosen to run the 24km trail event.

Joining this strong field of male runners is local trail legend Ryan Sandes. He has switched from running the trail event for this year, to running his first 56km ultra event. Sandes is hoping to add the Old Mutual Two Oceans Ultra Marathon to his illustrious list of achievements.

(04/03/2019) Views: 2,160 ⚡AMP

Richard Mazungula was born to run but he didn't know it until last year

Richard Mazungula is arguably one of the best athletes in Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa. The 41-year-old said he used to run in track races in high school, but it’s been years. “Back then, people used to tell me I had talent, but I only ran for fun, not for fame. I don’t know why I started running again. It can only be God’s grace,” he explained. His first venture back on the track was for a 5km race in Forest Hill last year and, to his great surprise, he came first. He’s been running non-stop ever since. Since September last year, Mazungula has run almost 75 races. He is now a proud member of the Nedbank Running Club.  Mazungula has astounded many racing fans by running five ultra marathons this year alone. The first was the Amobia Bay Ultra Marathon in February, followed by the 2018 Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon and the Bruintjieshoogte Marathon. Only four days after the that Marathon he ran the Zwelitsha Mdantsane Ultra Marathon. The last ultra was the 2018 Comrades Marathon. This came as a surprise to him as well as he said he never ran more than 15km races when he was younger. “Most athletes only run one ultra a year. I’ve run five this year alone and I have no pain or injuries. “It must be God’s will. “Some of the guys asked me if I had any help, but I don’t use any supplements or anything like that. We’re tested for those kind of things. I just like to run.” (07/25/2018) Views: 1,842 ⚡AMP

South African's David Gatebe gunning for 56K Two Oceans Marathon record

Gatebe is intent on doing to the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon record what he did to the Comrades Marathon two years ago - obliterate it. “David says he’d like to break the record,” said his coach John Hamlett on Wednesday. “And he’s looking good for it. Of course it is not an easy record and with the seconding restrictions at Two Oceans, we will find it a little difficult to feed him well. But he is going for it.” Gatebe and Edwin Khonkhobe are Hamlett’s two athletes who will be going to the Mother City to compete for the title on Saturday. “Edwin is a very fast, new kid on the ultras block who has really come alive and we are hoping he gets onto the podium.” The record that David will try to beat is 3:03:44 set by Thompson Magawana in 1988 for the 56K (35 mile) race in Cape Town, SA. (03/29/2018) Views: 2,098 ⚡AMP

South Africa's mountain Climbing champion taking on Two Oceans for fifth time

The Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon, is a grueling, character building Ultra Marathon attempted by thousands of citizens, and amongst them, is South Africa’s mountain climbing champion Sibusiso Vilane who became the first black African to summit Everest twice and by two different routes...“When I line up at the start of the Two Oceans ultra-marathon, this will mark the beginning of multiple challenges I have set for myself this year. This will lead to my attempt to summit Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen in May. These events are personal ambitions but with a purpose. This year’s Two Oceans will be my fifth yet it will be the most purposeful because all my efforts of trying to finish the 56 gruelling kilometres of the race will be for the education of an African Girl Child”, says Vilane. (03/27/2018) Views: 1,978 ⚡AMP

Gongqa all set to defend His Two Oceans marathon title

If you thought Lungile Gongqa’s Old Mutual Two Oceans marathon win last year would dull his hunger for gold, think again. “I trained more than I did last year, so I might run faster. I ran the Cape Peninsula Marathon on February 18 and my performance suggested I would do well at the Two Oceans,” said Gongqa at the Nedbank team’s sendoff in Johannesburg this week. “When I won the Two Oceans last year, I turned back in 2.22. I finished the Peninsula marathon in 2:21.58, which means I can clock another 2.22 at the halfway mark this year.” Despite the fact that all eyes were probably going to be on him, Gongqa said he felt no pressure to push himself. “I’ll run the way I want to. But first I want to make it to the top 10. Winning last year’s Two Oceans has changed my life and earned me the respect of my fellow athletes.” (03/26/2018) Views: 1,912 ⚡AMP

If Charne Bosman Runs the race of her life she can win the Two Oceans Marathon

Given her current form and pedigree, Charne Bosman is among the favorites to win next weekend’s Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town but everything has to go right. “I’ll be happy if I can get a top five finish at Two Oceans,” Bosman said this week. “It’s been a good year so far... Tuks (Marathon) was difficult with lots of uphills but I still managed to run a 2:50 and win. I am looking forward to the Two Oceans and will be happy if I can do around 3:48.” She believes, though, that such a time won’t be good enough to win the title. “The winning time could be at around 3:37 but you never know. For me, I’m going there just to run my race. I never try to chase anyone, I will simply run my own race.” As we all know...if everything clicks for Charne you never know what might happen. Stay tuned... (03/24/2018) Views: 2,194 ⚡AMP