Mbuleli Mathanga

Collen Mulaudzi

Desmond Mokgobo

coming to Cape Town to race : “ I have high hopes for the Totalsports Two Oceans Half Marathon . It is in my top 5 worldwide ,” he says .

Lurking silently in wings is Desmond Mokgobo , a soft-spoken man of few words that lets his legs do the talking . Mokgobo recently won the PMC Family Half Marathon in Phalaborwa , clocking 1:01:32 to best a quality field that included Mathanga and David Manja . The question will be whether Mathanga and Manja turn the tables come 16 April .

In the Women ’ s Winners Circle

Of particular interest in the women ’ s field for the Half Marathon is the inclusion of Ethiopia ’ s Tadu Nare . Her 2:23:53 marathon debut in Barcelona in November last year made athletics pundits sit up and take note , and she followed that up by winning the 2022 Riyadh Marathon on 5 March , taking the title in 2:26:37 .

The 20-year-old is a familiar figure in South Africa , having raced in the SPAR Women ’ s 10km Grand Prix Series on a regular basis ( and convincingly won it in 2021 ), as well as in the Run Your City Series . She boasts a 10km best of 31:28 , and with a half marathon best of 1:09:09 , set in Gqeberha in May 2021 , she is the fastest athlete in this women ’ s field . So , that course record of 1:10:30 set by Namibia ’ s Helalia Johannes in 2019 may just be under threat .

Nare ’ s biggest challenge is likely to emerge from the Western Cape based Zimbabwean Fortunate Chidzivo and Gauteng-based Glenrose Xaba . Chidzivo ran 1:10:50 in 2020 at the World Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia , Poland , and will have ample opportunity to prepare on the actual route , given that she is based in Cape Town . Xaba has been the dominant South African female road runner over the 10km and 21km distances

in the last few years . Her best of 32:45 for the 10km is not an accurate reflection of just how fast she can go , given that her half marathon personal best is 1:09:26 , also run at the 2020 World Champs in Poland . That was the fourth time the diminutive athlete had broken 70 minutes in six outings over the half marathon distance , making her one of the hottest properties in South African road running .

Although still coming back to top form after struggling with injury since 2019 , local favourite Nolene Conrad will have huge support as she lines up for her second crack at the Totalsports Two Oceans Half Marathon , having won it in 2018 . She came close to hanging up her shoes on more than one occasion in the last two or so years , so will no doubt have been overjoyed to come through her first tester unscathed when she finished third in the Peninsula Half Marathon in February . Conrad clocked 1:17:50 , which is still some six minutes off her best , but it was her best run since finishing 25th at the World Half Marathon Championships in 2018 , where she ran her best ever time of 1:11:44 .

Beware the Kenyan Invasion

While many of the world ’ s top races are dominated by Kenyan athletes , thus far the Totalsports Two Oceans Half Marathon has largely evaded the attention of the Kenyans … but this may be about to change . A strong contingent of six men and one woman from Kenya have signed up for the race this year , and this could make the race very interesting . Amongst these men , Wilson Too has a 1:00:57 half marathon to his name , while Joyline Chemutai has run 1:09:44 and could really shake things up in the women ’ s race . Overall , the Kenyan men are very much on par with South Africa ’ s best , but one thing is for certain : With a Kenyan in the field , the pace will be hard and fast from the gun . That is the Kenyan way .