NEWS
I n t h e
Compiled by Reggie Hukie
Three South Africans Nominated for Athlete of Year
South African athletes Wayde van Niekerk, Caster Semenya and Luvo Manyonga have all been nominated for the IAAF World Athlete of the Year award after a golden year, with 10 men and 10 women on the list. Wayde is the world leader and champion in the 400m, and he also won the 200m silver at the World Championships and set a World Best over 300m. Meanwhile, Caster was unbeaten in her specialist 800m event, ran a World Best for 600m, and broke her own South African record. Long-jumper Luvo ended the season as World Champion, Diamond League Champion and World Leader for the year in his event. Following the voting process, a shortlist of three men and three women will be announced by the IAAF, and the male and female World Athletes of the Year will be announced at the 2017 IAAF Athletics Awards.
Negewo Does it Again in Cape Town
Asefa Negewo of Ethiopia clinched his second consecutive Sanlam Cape Town Marathon victory on 17 September. After taking the lead in the second half of the race, he went on to win Africa’ s first ever IAAF Gold Label race in 2:10:01. Fellow Ethiopian Ketema Negasa crossed the line in 2:11:06 for second position, while the first South African home was Elroy Gelant, who finished fifth overall in a time of 2:12:49 in his debut marathon. The women’ s race provided high drama as Betelhem Moges Cherenet took line honours in 2:30:22, just six seconds ahead of Namibian pacesetter Helalia Johannes, who decided to carry on running to the end after completing her contracted pacing distance. First South African home was ninth-placed Irvette van Zyl in 2:36:43.
Comrades Entries Close In Record Time
The Comrades Marathon organisers announced on 21 September that 21,500 entrants for the 2018 race had registered in just 21 days, officially closing the registration process in record time – and that after the maximum number of entrants had been extended from 20,000. Athletes who missed out will still have a last opportunity to get a late entry through the Substitution Process around March / April next year. All entrants need to run a qualifying marathon or ultra from 27 August 2017 to 2 May 2018.
Mosiako Causes Upset at FNB Joburg 10K
Thabang Mosiako caused a major upset to win the FNB Joburg 10k CITYRUN on 24 September. After battling it out with Stephen Mokoka and Lucky Mohale in
Another SA Record for Shange
Race Walker Lebogang Shange added another South African race-walking record to his tally when he clocked 39:48 over 10km at the Around Taihu Multiday International Race Walking Competition in Wuxi, China on 26 September. That took 41 seconds off his own national record set in May last year in Rome. It was his second SA record in the space of a month, after he clocked 1:19:18 to take fourth position in the 20km at the recent IAAF World Championships in London.
the second half of the race, he made the deciding break with 2km left, going on to victory in 29:51, with SA 10km record holder Stephen having to settle for second. As expected, the women’ s title went to Glenrose Xaba, who started as race favourite. She secured the victory in 35:39, finishing more than 30 seconds ahead of Nolene Conrad.
Fastest Time Ever in SA at FNB Durban 10K
Uganda’ s 2017 World Championships 10,000m silver medallist Joshua Cheptegei broke the tape in a scintillating 27:28 to win the inaugural FNB Durban 10K CITYSURFRUN on 8 October, posting a new South African All-Comers record and a Ugandan national record. He obliterated the previous fastest time run on SA soil, the 27:55 set by Kenyan Richard Limo in Port Elizabeth way back in 1999. Another Ugandan, Stephen Kissa, was second home, followed by Swiss runner Julien Wanders( 28:12), who also set a new national mark. Stephen Mokoka was the first South African home, fourth in 28:34. In the women’ s race, Mercylin Chelangat clocked 31:37 for another new Ugandan record, while Dominique Scott( fifth in 33:26) was the first South African across the line.
Van Zyl and Molotsane take final Spar Honours
Irvette van Zyl dominated the Johannesburg Spar Women’ s Challenge on 8 October from start to finish, crossing the line in 34:48 to beat Kesa Molotsane by 19 seconds on the day. However, Kesa’ s consistent form throughout the national series of Spar races saw her crowned as Spar Grand Prix winner for the first time.
Images: CMA, IAAF, Reg Caldecott, Roger Sedres / ImageSA & Tobias Ginsberg
10 ISSUE 100 NOVEMBER 2017 / www. modernathlete. co. za