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Overview
The Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon is one of the most prestigious races on the Nedbank Running Club calendar and one at which the Nedbank Green Dream Team has notoriously dominated over the years.
With plans for this year being no different, the Nedbank Green Dream Team aims to put out some top-class performances come race day on the 20th of April.
The Nedbank elite runners are also supported on race day by over 800 Nedbank Running Club members representing 15 different Nedbank Running Clubs based in South Africa, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Ethiopia.
The Press Conference is an opportunity for the media to be introduced to this year’s Nedbank elite athletes and gather any information for press releases ahead of the race.
Nedbank Running Club – Background Information 2019
Ladies Team
After a show stopping 2018 where Nedbank's ladies achieved notable podium finishes at some of the biggest races on the South African calendar, namely the Two Oceans Marathon, Comrades Marathon, Mandela Day Marathon and Soweto Marathon, the team has continued to build on an impressive run of results into the first quarter of 2019 ahead of this year’s Two Oceans Marathon campaign.
The Nedbank Green Dream Team ladies need little introduction and bring a mix of experience and exciting talent to this year’s Two Oceans line up across both the Marathon & Ultra Marathon fields.
In the Ultra Marathon, many eyes will be on an unstoppable Gerda Steyn who had an extremely successful 2018, taking not only the Ultra Marathon title but also achieving a number of personal best performances including an impressive 13th place finish at the New York Marathon in her best time of 02:31:04.
Steyn is accompanied by fellow South African’s stars Irvette van Zyl and Mamorallo Tjoka who both recently delivered outstanding performances at the Soweto Marathon as well as Comrades star Fikile Mbutuma and Chrizell Roberts who will be making her Two Oceans Ultra debut.
Completing the Ultra ladies team is Stelmach Dominika of Poland who will be running in Nedbank colours for the first time and Australian runner, Larissa Tichon of the Nedbank International ladies’ team who will also be making her first Two Oceans Ultra Marathon appearance.
In the Half Marathon, the highly experienced Tanith Maxwell will be making her comeback ahead of Comrades after a period of rehab and recovery following surgery on her achilles tendon. In terms of South African athletes Maxwell will be accompanied by local talent Annie Bothma, who is coming from a successful 2018 season where she broke the course record and her personal best by finishing in 01:15:13 at the Winelands Half Marathon. The South Africans are also joined by the experience of Rudo Mhonderwa and Rutendo Nyahora of the Nedbank Running Club Zimbabwe and Neheng Khatala of Lesotho.
Men’s Team
The Men’s team is made up of Nedbank athletes from South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya and Lesotho.
Most notably, the 2018 champion Justin Chesire Kemboi of Kenya is back to defend his title. This time round Kemboi is surrounded by a strong team of fellow Kenyans team mates namely 10th place holder Jesse Gichuhi, Melly Kennedy who recorded a 3H08 time at the once off All in Africa Conference 56km held in Pietermaritzburg four years ago. The team also includes Bernard Kiprono, Isaac Kipkorir and Kenyan-born French athlete, Abraham Kiprotich. With the Kenyan team in full force there is no doubt that Kemboi will take his best shot at not only defending the title but also breaking the race record.
Also representing the men’s team Ultra team is a strong Ethiopian duo made up of Soweto Marathon winner Sintayehu Legese Yinesu and Two Oceans 2017 6th place finisher Kebede Aberra Dinke as well as fellow Lesotho countrymen Moeketsi Mosuhli and 2018 2nd place finisher Lebenya Nkoka.
Finally representing South Africa is 2018 Western Cape Road Runner of the year Mthandazo Qhina, Comrades Marathon 2018 4th place finisher Edward Mothibi and none other than Two Oceans Ultra 2017 and Cape Peninsula Marathon 2018 winner Lungile Gongqa.
The Half marathon team is made up of South African’s Juan van Deventer, Joel Mmone, Philimon Mathiba and recent Om Die Dam Half Marathon title holder David Manje. As well as Lesotho athlete and 2018 2nd place finisher Nkhasi Namakoe as well as Mothimokholo Hatasi.
The final member of the men’s team is Ipeleng Psymon Khunou, who will run the race on crutches, coming for his second Two Oceans Half Marathon finish.
Nedbank Running Club Partners
The Nedbank Running Club is proudly supported by Nike, FutureLife, Biogen and Bavaria and values the support provided by these partners to both the broader club and Nedbank athletes
Nedbank Running Club – More Than A Club
The Nedbank Running Club is one of the most successfully and accessible running clubs with 13 clubs across the South Africa as well as within neighbouring African countries. Within these clubs there are runners from across the board who all come together to simply run – in whatever form running is to them.
In 2019, the Nedbank Running Club aims to communicate a strong message to all runners, whether they are elite, aspiring, a club member or a non-club member. That message is centred around the fact that the Nedbank Running Club is more than just a running club, but something greater, where everyone has the opportunity to be part of a winning team regardless of their situation, fitness level, talent or ability.
This message will be communicated throughout the year and aims to bring club members closer together and grow the already existing membership base.
#MoreThanAClub
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