TRACK & FIELD
Getting Back
ON TRACK
With personal best times of 1:47.74 for the 800m , 3:59.29 for the mile , the SA national record for 5000m at 13:04.88 and 27:41.30 for the 10,000m , coupled with road PBs of 28:18 for 10km and 1:01:09 for the half marathon , Elroy Gelant is one of the most versatile distance athletes in SA , and though he recently made his marathon debut , he still has his eyes firmly fixed on the track .
– BY REGGIE HUFKIE
In 2016 , Elroy made the men ’ s 5000m final at the Olympic Games in Rio , clinched a silver medal in the 10,000m at the CAA African Championships in Durban , and set a new South African 5000m record along the way when he clocked 13:04.88 in the Netherlands . It was a brilliant year on the track for the Potchefstroom-based athlete . Then at the 2017 SA Champs in his current hometown , the 31-yearold started the 5000m too fast and hit the wall with 2000m to go , but held on through sheer determination for the silver medal , and came back the very next day to win the 10,000m national title .
Unfortunately , he did not quite do enough to qualify for the 2017 IAAF Track and Field World Championships , but that disappointment was tempered not only by his continued success on the track , but also his success on the road . This year has also seen him take home another silver medal at the South African Half Marathon Championships , clocking a blisteringly fast 1:01:30 , and he ran an equally fast 28:16 solo effort for 10km in Cape Town , which until recently was the fastest time in SA for the year . Then he made the big move – one he has been talking about for a while now – and stepped up the marathon for the first time , at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon in September .
Going Long …
“ Last year I was a pacemaker at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon , so this year I decided it ’ s the perfect time to make my full debut . After making the decision , I was totally excited to train for it ,” says Elroy , whose 1:01:10 half marathon PB , set in 2014 , and a 2017
best of 1:01:30 , pointed to him being able to post a really fast marathon time . He ran just behind the leaders until the 30km mark , then tried to close the gap , but found himself running alone for the last 5km and ended up slowing down a bit , eventually finishing in 2:12:49 , earning him fifth place overall and first South African over the line , but falling a bit short of his own high expectations .
“ My goal was to go beyond my limits and I was looking for a 2:09 or 2:10 debut marathon time , but those last 5km were extremely difficult . I needed to believe I could achieve what I had set out for the race , but I can definitely use these opportunities to learn and prepare for future global marathons , and I am very positive to one day run a good time in Europe .”
However , having said before the race that he hoped to use it as a stepping stone towards qualifying for the marathon at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia , in a somewhat surprising move , soon after the marathon Elroy said he is putting the marathon on hold – for now – because he still has goals to chase on the track . “ This is a very brief outline of my main goals for the next few years . In 2018 I ’ m going to attempt to break the South African 5000m , 10,000m and 10km records , and my goal is to finish in the top three at the Commonwealth Games . In 2019 I ’ ll again be attempting the 5000m and 10,000m records , but I will also be targeting a sub-2:08 qualification marathon , and in 2020 my main goal will be a podium position in marathon at the Tokyo Olympics .”
The Challenge
Away from athletics , Gelant enjoys spending time at his family home in Pacaltsdorp , on the outskirts of George in the Southern Cape , where he was taught the importance of living a purpose-driven life . “ What keeps me motivated is the belief that God provided me with a talent , and I want to live out that talent fully by giving my best in each race I participate in . Every time I compete , I run against not only the other guys , but also myself and my own ability . It ’ s the best feeling to know that I gave my best on the day , and all of my failures in athletics just serve as extra motivation . Winning medals or championships is only a bonus for me ; it ’ s all about my God-given talent and the happiness that comes with it .”
Images : Jetline Action Photo & Tobias Ginsberg
28 ISSUE 100 NOVEMBER 2017 / www . modernathlete . co . za