Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 118, May 2019 | Page 4

I n the world of running, the last month or so has been filled with a number of contentious news articles, emotive conversations and heated debates, covering a number of topics – and we’ve covered a number of them in this edition. 1. Caster Semenya lost her case against the IAAF at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland, where she was trying to get the IAAF’s new rule overturned that will force her to take testosterone-reducing hormone medication in order to be able to continue competing in events from 400m up to the mile. This sparked a torrent of angry comments on social media, many made by people with no actual scientific or biological knowledge of the case, but based purely on emotion, patriotism or racial motives. This story is far from over, but you can read more about it on page 6. 2. The 2019 edition of the Two Oceans Marathon was the first since 1987 not to be broadcast live by the SABC, a sad state of affairs caused by the public broadcaster not having enough funds to pay for the broadcast rights, and ASA not being able to sell said rights to anybody else. The same thing almost happened with the traditional Comrades broadcast, but good news is that the Comrades will now apparently be broadcast by the SABC. More about this on page 16. 3. Next up we delve deep into the problem of races running out of water at their refreshment stations, which seems to have suddenly become a regular problem at races throughout South Africa, from Gauteng to KZN to the Cape. There are several factors contributing to this, as we explain on page 28, and the problem can fairly easily be alleviated if runners are better educated and all work together. 4. The ongoing litter problem in road running, caused largely by runners dropping their used water sachets on the road, also came up once again. This included numerous conversations following the Two Oceans Marathon, as well as the popular Comrades Route Testers run in early May. The running community really needs to pull its proverbial socks up, because members of the non-running community are losing patience with our littering ways, as seen by the fact that the Two Oceans Marathon had to hold crisis talks with a prominent community along its route just to get permission for the race to pass through! More on that on page 54. Of course, it’s not all doom and gloom – there were terrific performances by Bongmusa Mthembu and Gerda Steyn in the Two Oceans to write about this month, and we also have inspirational stories about Mphokolo Makara, Angelo Adams, Ayesha Specker and Robyn Louw that I think will hit the running spot with you. So tuck into the read and be inspired to lace up your running shoes. Sean Falconer Follow me on Twitter: @sean_falconer | Follow the mag as well: @modern_athlete PUBLISHERS Richard Laskey Roxanne Martin Sean Falconer ADVERTISING SALES Richard Laskey 083 342 8200 / [email protected] DIGITAL SALES & CAMPAIGNS Roxanne Martin 072 368 7390 / [email protected] EDITORIAL TEAM EDITOR Sean Falconer [email protected] DESIGNER Caroline Collings [email protected] DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER Roxanne Martin [email protected] EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Regulars: Anel Oosthuizen, Christine Peters, Derick Marcisz, Ernest Hobbes, Manfred Seidler, Norrie Williamson, PJ Moses, Ray Orchison, René Kalmer, Roxanne Martin, Sean Falconer, Stuart Mann, Tom Cottrell Guest Writers: Deirdre Hewitson, Hein Wandrag, Karoline Hanks, Kim Stephens, Kim van Kets, Lisa MacKenzie, Muntonezwi Khanyile, Paul Kelly, Salome Scholtz, Splash PR, Tanya Timms, Vaugh & Nicola Venter COVER IMAGE Jetline Action Photo IMAGES Photo Agencies & Professional photographers: BackTrack Sports, Craig Muller, Fotolia, iStock, Jetline Action Photo, Kevin Sawyer/Gameplan Media, Kyle Cestari, Melinda Crafford, Mike Scott, Nicki Sutherland, Rick Timms, Roger Sedres/ImageSA, Shawn Benjamin/Ark Images, SMacPix Non-professional photographers: Bridget Linderoth, Hanno Langenhoven, Heidi-Anne Smidt, Hein Wandrag, Jill Lategan, Moegsien Ebrahim, Morgan Weeks, Stuart Mann Courtesy: Amy Abrahams, Anel Oosthuizen, Beloved Long Runs, Cape Leopard Trust, Francois Grobler, Janeane Watt, Juan van Deventer, Kabelo Melamu, Karoline Hanks, Kim van Kets, Lans Pepler, Mamre AC, Murray & Roberts, Nedbank Running Club, Nicola Venter, Om Die Dam Marathon, PJ Moses, PUMA, René Kalmer, Sean Falconer, Seeturtles.org, Seromo Mofokeng, Suzanne Twentyman-Jones, Tanya Timms, Two Oceans Marathon, Warick Bekker, Wiets Se Run, Worcester AC, and various Race Organisers FIND US GENERAL E-MAIL [email protected] EDITORIAL E-MAIL [email protected] WEB www.modernathlete.co.za FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/modernathletemag TWITTER @modern_athlete INSTAGRAM @modernathletemag 4 ISSUE 118 MAY 2019 / www.modernathlete.co.za Modern Athlete is accredited by the ABC with an average monthly circulation of 79,344 (Apr - Jun 2018) EDITOR’S LETTER