But he certainly did not have it all his own way. Manja and his teammate, Joel Mmone, and Tebello Ramakongoano duelled it out up to the last kilometre. Manja was the stronger runner when it mattered. He won in 1 hour and 3 minutes with Mmone crossing the line five seconds later with Ramakongoano a further eight seconds behind.

It would be interesting to see how Manja and Mmone do at the World Cross Country Championships in Uganda.
The men’s marathon was also a closely contested affair with Charles Soza (Zim/Ned) timing his final acceleration to perfection to win in a time of 2:22:41. Ntsindiso Mphakathi (Ned) crossed the line 12 seconds later with Moses Kiptoo Kurgat finishing third in 2:23:29 to complete the clean sweep for the “Men in Green.”

The women’s marathon was also dominated by the Nedbank Running Club athletes. Lizih Chokore (Zim/Ned) won in 2:59:56. Lineo Lebotha raced to a second place finish in a time of 3:09:54.  Beryl Makokha (Ken/Zim) was third in 3:10:16.

Loveness Madziva (Zim/Ned) was second in the women’s half-marathon running a time of 1:14:54 with Rudo Mhonderwa (Zim/Ned) third in 1:15:21.

**Ntombesintu Mfunzi (Ned) won the NMBM Uitenhage Human Rights 30km in a time 1:54:43.

 

** Namakoe Nkhasi (Ned/Les) raced to victory Century City 10km Express. His winning time in Goodwood was 29:10. Vuyisile Nkumenge (Ned)  was third in the women’s race in a time of 37:04.

 

**Edwin Chimombo (Zim/Ned) proved that when the going gets tough, the tough gets going when he won the Medihelp Sunrise Monster 32 km 1:53:56.  The never tiring veteran Shadrack Hoff (Boxer) was second in 2:00:27 and Thapedi Mogape (Ned) third in 2:10:47.

 

Tabitha Tsatsa (Zim/Ned) outran the former Comrades Champion, Caroline Wostmann (KPMG, to win the women’s race in 2:17:28. Wostmann ran a time of 2:23:18 with Kobie Smith (Vitality) third in 2:25:36.

 

**Lena Lotter (Ned) seems to becoming an expert over 10km. She won the Crazy Store Lighthouse 10km in Cape Town in a time of 35:04. It is the second consecutive weekend that she has won a 10km race. Vuyiseka Nkumenge (Ned) was second in 36:26 with Tanith Maxwell (Boxer) third in 36:43.