NEWS
I n t h e
Compiled by Reggie Hufkie
Comrades Legend Vorster Passes Away
The 1979 Comrades Marathon winner , Piet Vorster , passed away on 13 January in Johannesburg after a courageous battle against motor neuron disease . He was 66 years old . Piet finished the Comrades 14 times , with four gold medals in his collection . He also finished the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon 10 times and ran a marathon best of 2:24:58 . In his postcompetitive days , he was well respected for his astute TV commentary work .
Mosiako , Molotsane Win XC Trials
SA 5000m Champion Thabang Mosiako caused another upset when he beat SA Cross Country Champ Precious Mashele in the senior men ’ s 10km race at the ASA Cross Country Trials on 20 January in Mangaung . In the women ’ s race , Kesa Molotsane added another title to her name , finishing 11 seconds ahead of Glenrose Xaba . The junior women ’ s title went to 16-year-old Prudence Sekgadiso , while Pakiso Mthembu clinched the junior men ’ s 8km . The trials were held to determine the final selection of a national team for the CAA African Cross Country Championships in Chlef , Algeria on 17 March .
2018 Comrades Almost 1km Longer
The Comrades Marathon Association announced on 26 January that the officially measured distance for this year ’ s ‘ Down Run ’ from Pietermaritzburg to Durban will be 90.184km , making it 884m longer than the last ‘ Down Run ’ in 2016 , which was 89.208km . The race will start at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall and finish at the Moses Mabhida Stadium .
Trautman Takes Ironman 70.3 Win
Matt Trautman claimed a third consecutive title at the Standard Bank Ironman 70.3 South Africa in East London on 28 January . After taking the lead during the bike leg , he finished in 4:09:18 , almost two minutes faster than Belgium ’ s Kenneth Vanderdriessche . The second South African home was XTERRA World Champion Bradley Weiss , just 40 seconds shy of the podium in fourth place . In the women ’ s race , Jeannie Seymour of the USA secured victory in 4:32:22 , ahead of Emma Pallant of Great Britain and Spaniard Judith Vaquera .
Bolt Wows Young SA Athletes
Retired Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt was met by more than a thousand roaring fans when he attended the Puma School of Speed meet at Ruimsig Stadium in Johannesburg on 29 January . Bolt used the appearance to inspire and encourage the school athletes in what was a momentous moment for South African athletics .
SA ’ s Commonwealth Team Announced
On 30 January SASCOC announced a 169-member SA team for the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast , Australia from 4 to 15 April . Fourteen track and field athletes and five triathletes are included in the team , with Caster Semenya and Luvo Manyonga spearheading the athletics team , while Richard Murray and Henri Schoeman will lead the triathlon charge . Another notable inclusion is World Under-18 High Jump Champion Breyton Poole , who will be part of a senior SA team for the first time .
Marathoner Mokgobu Wins in Japan
Desmond Mokgobu did the country proud when he won the Beppu Oita Marathon on 4 February in Japan , crossing the line in a PB 2:09:31 . The South African took the lead with 7km to go , but still had Hayato Sonoda of Japan on his heels as they entered the Oita City Athletics Stadium , but he found the energy to hold the Japanese athlete off and claim the win by three seconds .
Mosiako Victim of Brutal Attack
Fresh from winning the SA Cross Country Trials , Thabang Mosiako ’ s future in the sport hangs in the balance after he suffered severe head trauma during what has been described as a racially-motivated attack on the North West University campus in Potchefstroom on 4 February . The SA 5000m Champion was with friends and fellow athletes Rantso Mokopane ( SA 3000m Steeplchase Champion ) and Sandy Londt , when an altercation with a group of students in a café led to a brutal attack by 10 men outside the café . Mosiako was taken to hospital unconscious , and the extent of his injuries was not yet known at the time of writing .
SA Indoor Records Tumble
In a remarkable run of results , seven SA Indoor Records were improved in the early weeks of the year . In the USA , Ncincilili Titi clocked 20.45 for 200m in Clemson , Dominique Scott-Efurd broke her own 1500m record in Boston , clocking 4:07.25 just a week after setting a new mark in the 3000m of 8:41:18 in New York , and Derrick Mokaleng posted 45.76 in the 400m in Lubbock , just weeks after clocking 46.25 in Albuquerque . Meanwhile , in European meets , Luvo Manyonga celebrated his indoor debut in Paris with a new long jump record of 8:32m , while Carina Horn improved the women ’ s 60m sprint record by 0.05 seconds as she clocked 7.10 in Eaubonne , France .
Images : Reg Caldecott , RogerSedres / ImageSA , Tobias Ginsberg and courtesy CMA , Derek Mokaleng , Desmond Mokgobu , Matt Trautmann & PUMA
8 ISSUE 104 MARCH 2018 / www . modernathlete . co . za