HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS
These are some of the standout performances in the June-July period from the annals of SA running .
1 July 1967
Anne McKenzie was the pioneer of South African female middle distance running in the sixties and her exploits altered the face of South African distance running as she set no fewer than 18 SA Records for 800 metres / 880 yards between 1962 and 1967 . Probably her most outstanding run came on this day in London , when she finished second in the 880 yards to the foremost British runner of the time , Anne Smith , in the English ( AAA ) Championships ( the last to be held using Imperial distances ). Smith , who was 16 years younger , won in 2:04.8 , with McKenzie ( due to turn 42 four weeks later ) crossing the line in a new SA Record of 2:07.4 . At the metric mark ( 800m ) she clocked another national record of 2:06.5 . Just over two weeks later , on 18 July she faced a strong international field over the mile in Dublin , and finished third behind Rita Lincoln ( 4:46.0 ) and Peggy Mullen ( 4:55.5 ), clocking an excellent 4:57.2 for a new SA Record . Just two days later , in Solingen , West Germany , she clocked 4:36.0 in the 1500m to set the first recognised SA Record for women over this distance .
Anne McKenzie
17 July 1971
De Villiers Lamprecht occupies a unique place in South African athletics as the first man to run a sub- 4-minute mile , in 1964 , but he also did something else that is unique , and it came on this day in East London . In cold and windy conditions , he beat Geoff Bacon to win his only SA Marathon title in 2:23:38 . Three months earlier , on 12 April in Pretoria , Lamprecht had easily won the national title in the 1500 metres in 3:46.4 . To this day , he is the only athlete , male or female , to have won the 1500 / mile and marathon national titles in the same year .
De Villiers Lamprecht
24 June 1972
Johnny Halberstadt is one of the most versatile athletes ever produced in South Africa , boasting a best mile time of 3:59.9 and a marathon of 2:11:46 . On this day at the Rose Festival meeting in Gresham , Oregon , he took aim at Fanie van Zijl ' s SA Record of 13:48.4 for 5000 metres , set almost three months earlier . A furious sprint to hold off Americans Jeff Galloway and Sid Sink resulted in a new national mark of 13:44.0 , with Galloway finishing just two-tenths of a second behind the South African . Halberstadt ' s performance came just three weeks after he had won the NCAA title for 10,000m in the colours of Oklahoma State University , setting another SA Record of 28:50.4 .
Johnny Halberstadt
TOP 10 STATS
2022 Fastest SA Male Marathoners
16
ISSUE 151 | www . modernathlete . co . za
( As at 8 June 2022 )
1 2:11:15 Tumelo Motlagale ( Durban , 8 May )
2 2:15:22 Stephen Mokoka ( Gqeberha , 6 Mar )
3 2:16:06 Simon Sibeko ( Durban , 8 May )
4 2:16:25 Edward Mothibi ( Gqeberha , 6 Mar )
5 2:16:32 Bonginkosi Zwane ( Durban , 8 May )
6 2:16:37 Nkosikhona Mhlakwana ( Durban , 27 Feb )
7 2:16:42 Folavio Sehohle ( Durban , 8 May )
8 2:17:21 Daniel Matshailwe ( Durban , 8 May )
9 2:17:42 Samuel Sibeko ( Durban , 8 May )
10 2:17:51 Sbusiso Kubheka ( Gqeberha , 6 Mar )
About the Author
These stats and results are drawn from the weekly Distance Running Results mailer compiled by internationally acclaimed athletics statistician Riël Hauman , who has more than 50 years ’ experience as a journalist , author , publisher , commentator , pundit , administrator , event organiser , coach , team manager and runner in South African athletics , road running and cross country . He is also a former editor of the South African Athletics Annual , and author of two books , Hardloop en Lééf and Century of the Marathon 1896- 1996 . To subscribe to his weekly newsletter , send him a mail at rielh @ mweb . co . za .
30 June 1984
Few athletes in the world can match the longevity at the top achieved by Sonja Laxton , who can rightly be called the Grande Dame of SA athletics . Among her many National Records were four in the marathon , the most remarkable being the 2:36:44 she ran in the Bellville Marathon in Kuils River on this typical Cape winter ’ s day , with rain and a strong , cold wind . Laxton broke Isavel Roche-Kelly ’ s SA Record by almost six minutes and was awarded an incentive of R5000 for the record , as well as Springbok colours , becoming the first woman ( and third athlete after Jan Barnard and Ewald Bonzet ) to receive colours for track , crosscountry and road .
Sonja Laxton
Images : South African Sports Achievements , Maties Athletics , Two Oceans Marathon , Century of the Marathon