Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 51, October 2013 | Page 16
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The marathon is more than just a classic racing distance, it is the globally accepted standard of a country’s road running strength, and there was a time when South Africa was considered one of the world leaders in marathoning. Sadly those days are a distant memory now – but some believe we can get back to that level. – BY SEAN FALCONER
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However, it took more than 11 years for another South African to go faster than Sinqe, when Josiah Thugwane ran 2:07:28 in Fukuoka, Japan in December 1997. And since 1986, only four SA men have managed to go faster than Sinqe: Thugwane, Gert Thys, Hendrik Ramaala and the late Ian Syster – and Thys set the current SA record of 2:06:33 in Tokyo as far back as February 1999. Similarly, amongst the women, the days of Elana Meyer, Colleen De Reuck and Frith van der Merwe are somewhat a distant memory. In the 90s these three athletes ran 14 sub-2:30 times between them, but we had to wait until Rene Kalmer’s 2:29:59 in 2011 for another SA woman to repeat that feat. “If you look at the global marathon statistics, the world is getting better at a terrific rate, but South African standards are not improving. SA has stagnated,” says Riël. “And for that reason, we selected a 41-year-old Hendrik Ramaala to go run the marathon at the World Champs this year. Yes, he made the qualifying time, but he is past his best racing days now. The problem seems to be that there are few younger athletes of the same calibre coming through to take over from him.”
ack in May 1986, Willie Mtolo and the late Zithulele Sinqe fought an almighty duel in the SA Marathon Champs race in Port Elizabeth. Sinqe’s ???????????????????????????????????????M??????????????5????e?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????q ????????????????????????I??????
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