THE CONTENDERS
Top Male Contenders
Phillimon Mathiba ( SA )
Club : Nedbank Running Club SA Age : 29 Marathon PB : 2:13:11 ( Dublin , 2019 ) Last Marathon : 2:18:29 ( Pretoria , 2020 )
With a 2:13 marathon PB – and a fairly recent one , at that – Phillimon Mathiba is very much in the frame for the record attempt . He has been a consistent sub-2:20 performer since 2017 , which already points to him being capable of the required pace for the record attempt , but it is his 2:18 , run at altitude late last year , that really points to him being in great shape . That would translate to an even faster time at sea level , and he will be one to watch in this 50km race .
Edward Mothibi ( SA )
Club : Nedbank Running Club SA Age : 37 Marathon PB : 2:16:48 ( Potchefstroom , 2020 ) 50km PB : 2:49:49 ( Brasov , Romania , 2019 ) Last Marathon : 2:16:48 ( Potchefstroom , 2020 )
Images : Action Photo SA & David Tarpey
With his 2019 Comrades Marathon win still fresh in the memory , as well as a fifth place at the 2019 IAU 50km World Champs in Romania , Edward Mothibi should be up for this new challenge . He also posted a new 2:16 marathon PB in winning the overall title in last year ’ s Sanlam Cape Town Marathon – running the Potchefstroom leg at altitude , too – and is reportedly in the best shape of his life after an altitude training camp to prepare specially for this record attempt .
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