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