REARING TO GO
With less than 17 days to the Two Oceans Marathon and less than 90 days to the Comrades Marathon it is evident that athletes from the Nedbank Running Club (NRC) are rearing to go. Many preparing for Oceans or Comrades delivered another round of great performances over the past weekend while the shorter distance speedsters took over podiums countrywide.
Loveness Madziva was most likely the biggest winner of the weekend as she was rewarded with a car for winning the Zululand 56km Ultra Marathon. This comes a mere six days after she won another car at the Harry Gwala District Marathon, where she crossed the finish line as first lady.
Other great performances at the same race came from Madziva’s team mates Monica Kativhu, who finished second lady overall and Lephethesang Adora who finished 3rd Senior overall. Both the NRC’s men and women’s teams won the Open team prizes for the 56km event.
In one of the biggest races over the weekend – the Pharmaton Edenvale Marathon – Siyabonga Dingile finished 3rd male overall in a time of 2:36 while his speedy team mate Phillemon Mathipa finished 1st in the 10km event in a time of 33:33.
NRC athletes showed that tough routes do not scare them when many achieved podium positions at the very tough Tortoise Tuff 30km, 10km & 21 Trail Run in Sedgefield. Melissa van Rensburg broke the 21km Trail Run record by 20 minutes, crossing the finish line in 1:51. Anderson Ncube won the Open Men’s event with Anton Chavellier winning the Masters Category.
The 30km event, classified as possibly the most challenging 30km route on the Garden Route, was won by John April in a time of 1:48. His teammate Andre Barnardo finished 1st in the Grandmaster category while Cecile Nel finished 2nd in the Open Women’s category. Master Allison Jordaan and Grandmaster Annatjie Botes both won their respective categories. The shorter distance speedsters placed very well in the 10km event with Godwin Heyns, Francois Maquassa and Donovan Jantjies finishing 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively. Lindile Tokota took first in the Masters Category while
Anastassia Plaatjies and Candice Van Beulen finished 1st and 2nd in the Open Ladies category. Beulen also finished 1st Junior.
NRC was well represented at another huge race in Pretoria with former Comrades winner Charné Bosman winning the Buco Bobbies Half Marathon, in a time of 1:23. Teammate Renier Grobler won the Men’s 10km event in a time of 33:01.
More good news came in the form of NRC Junior Kutlwisiso Sidinile, who has been selected to represent his country at the African Cross-Country Champs in Algeria on March 17th. Sidinile’s dream of representing his country came true after 3 years of some great support and development from the NRC, especially Siyaya Khoza, Soweto Nedbank Development Club chairman and coach. Sidinile travels with senior teammates David Manja and Thabang Mosiako and will compete this weekend.
Last but not least NRC athletes said their farewells to champion teammate and Comrades gold medallist Siphiwe Ndlela, who recently passed away at a training camp after taking some herbal medicine. Teammates from KZN partook in a special walk in memory of Ndlela while several attended his funeral in Ixopo where he was laid to rest near his home soil.
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