Cape Town marathon 20 October 2024

Dear Nedbank Running Club athlete.

We do have more than 350 Nedbank Running Club athletes that will be running the Cape Town Marathon on Sunday 20 October 2024.

Please visit the Biogen Stand at registration where you can top-up your pre-race supplements and energy requirements for the race. Biogen will be running a competition at their stand with big prizes to be won!

The Nedbank Running Club -Cape Town will be your host for the day.
As soon as you finish your race, collect your medal, and exit the shoot find your way to the Nedbank RC hospitality gazebo where you will be greeted by Nedbank Running Club Cape Town committee members.

There will be some refreshing drinks and food and energy bars from our sponsors.
water will be supplied as well as a refreshing drink.
There will be energy bars to replenish your energy stores and to eat.

They will also serve other snacks like fruits, bread sandwiches, sweets and sausage rolls.

Enjoy your race and share your war stories afterwards at the Nedbank gazebo!

Small but classy Nedbank running club elite team assembled for Cape Town Marathon

On Sunday 20 October, the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon moves towards its next step of becoming Africa’s first World marathon major to join the likes of the Boston, Tokyo, London, Chicago, Berlin and New York Marathons which make up the 6 major marathons in the Abbot series and as a candidate, enters its second year with officials from the series out in the Country to take ensure they tick all the boxes. With former world record holders and world champions taking part, the Nedbank running club has assembled a small, but compact elite team for Sunday.

Leading the men’s green dream team will be Nedbank running club Ethiopia’s Dagnachew Adere Maru who finished on the podium at the Cape Town Marathon in 2022 when he finished 3rd in 2:11:52. Maru followed this up with a 7th place last year in 2:12:19. Speaking through his coach Belay Hagos in Ethiopia, Maru wants to be back on the podium and run a time of under 2:10:00. “The training has been going well and I enjoy running in Cape Town,” said Maru. “I want to run a new personal best and would like to run faster than 2:10.”

Alongside Maru will be Nedbank running club Zimbabwe’s Moses Tarakinyu who has seen success in the Mother City before when he won the fiercely contested Two Oceans Half Marathon. Tarakinyu boasts a very impressive half marathon personal best of 01:01:38 and this year has been victorious at the Kazungula Half Marathon in Botswana where he ran 01:03:41.

South African George Kusche will be making his marathon debut. A standout on the track in the NCAA American college system, Kusche has since returned home to South Africa, taking to the roads, and already having an impressive showing. Finishing 3rd at the Two Oceans Half Marathon in April in which was his half marathon debut, Kusche has also clocked 28:50 for 10km this year and the 26-year-old moves up in distance, hungry for success.

“We have put together a small but compact team for this year’s marathon and I am really excited to see what athletes like Moses and George can do, going up in distance,” said Nick Bester, National team manager of the Nedbank running club. “The Cape Town Marathon brings out some of the best marathon runners on the planet and our men and ladies are looking forward to being part of the action and also running fast times.”

In the ladies’ race, the Nedbank running club Ethiopian duo of Kassaye Agimas Wubu and Alemenesh Herpha Guta join South Africa’s Deanne Laubscher in the elite women’s field. Guta was the winner of last year’s Lagos Marathon which offers $50 000 prize money and is highly competitive. With that performance, she looks to Cape Town to further her profile and run a very fast time. Laubscher is an ultra-runner who has represented South Africa at the World 100km championships and will also be looking to sharpen her speed and run a quick marathon.

The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon takes place on Sunday 20 October, and you can catch the Nedbank running club green dream team athletes LIVE in action on SuperSport from 05:50am.

Spar Grand Prix 2024 final standings
 

Johannesburg, South Africa: Glenrose Xaba (Boxer) has made history by becoming the first South African to win the SPAR Women’s Challenge Grand Prix title since 2019, when international athletes were admitted to the Series. Xaba clinched the position on Sunday, with an emphatic win in the Jozi SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge at Marks Park.

Three-times SPAR Grand Prix winner, Tadu Nare (Nedbank) was edged into third place on the SPAR Grand Prix log by her fellow Ethiopian and teammate, Diniya Abaraya.  
Each athlete’s top four performances were used to determine this year’s winner, and Xaba finished with a perfect score of 120 points, with four wins with maximum bonus points for each.  Xaba was also the last South African to win the SPAR Grand Prix, in 2018.

Abaraya finished with 112 points, one ahead of Nare, who had 111.  Nare missed the Cape Town race, but won in Durban, finished third in Pretoria, and second in Gqeberha and Johannesburg.  Abaraya missed the Tshwane race, but was fifth in Durban, second in Cape Town and Gqeberha and third in Johannesburg. There is currently no Junior GP competition.

Cacisile Sosibo (Boxer) finished in fourth place, with 72 points. The Phalula twins, Diana-Lebo Phalula-Mzazi and Lebogang Phalula-Luthuli, (Boxer) dominated the 40-49 category, with Phalula-Mzazi achieving a perfect score of four wins with maximum points for a total of 40, while Phalula-Luthuli had one win and four seconds for a total of 37 points.  Phalula-Mzazi was seventh in the open category and her sister was ninth. Jeannie Henderson placing 3rd in the 40-49 category

In the category for runners between 50 and 59, Anne Stewart fell one short of a perfect 40, with 39, from three wins and a second place, while Judy Bird aced the 60-69 category by winning every race with maximum points.

Forty Under 40 Award Winner!

Ipeleng Khunou, honored to be recognized as one of Forty under 40 South Africa awards. "This award is not just mine – it belongs to everyone who believed in me, voted for me, and supported me along the way".

"A special thank you to Mr. Itumeleng Rapoo for making sure I looked my best and for always standing by my side with unwavering support.

"To all my sponsors, this award is a testament to your commitment to our journey together." "Your dedication has made this achievement possible, and I am beyond grateful. Here’s to the next chapter as we set our sights on developing the next generation of runners on crutches, paving the way for future Paralympic champions!"

"Let’s keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible!"

Kia presents prize vehicles to 2024 Two Oceans Marathon ultra-marathon winners Onalenna Khonkobe and Gerda Steyn

26 September 2024 – Kia South Africa this week celebrates the achievements of Onalenna Khonkobe and Gerda Steyn, the respective male and female winners of this year’s Two Oceans ultra-marathon, as they receive the Kia vehicles they will be driving for the next 12 months. The prizes were announced during this year’s Two Oceans Marathon, which took place in April, with the prize presentations commencing this month following the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) declaring the race results drug-free.

“The spectacle that the Two Oceans Marathon creates each year creates a great alignment with our brand slogan, ‘Movement that inspires’, and it’s been fitting that the world’s most beautiful marathon has been supported by a car brand renowned for design over the past two years,” comments Paul Turnbull, CEO, Kia South Africa. “We celebrate the success of Onalenna and Gerda in this year’s race and applaud their indomitable spirit that erases all mental and physical limits. With our leading unlimited kilometre warranty, we’re confident that the Kia vehicles they drive will perfectly complement their lifestyles and achievements.”

From Taung to the world

A total of 12,229 runners were at the start line of the 2024 Two Oceans ultra-marathon, but it was 28-year-old Onalenna Khonkobe, from the Sekhing village outside Taung in the North West Province, who took the ultimate glory in this year’s ultra-marathon by finishing in 3:09:30. A member of the Nedbank Running Club and Managed Nick Bester and coached by Pio Mpolokeng, Khonkobe’s win makes him the first South African to win the men’s race since 2019. Last year’s winner, Givemore Mudzinganyama, finished in third place this year after Lloyd Bosman.

Khonkobe has been running since he was in primary school, showing immense dedication to his career with a rigorous training schedule that includes two sessions daily, except on Sundays. He also participated in this year’s Comrades Marathon, but in the capacity of pacesetter for his team. A humble runner with a great sense of humour, Khonkobe described his Comrades race to the Taung Daily News as a strategic play, highlighting that he didn’t train for the race and planned to simply bolt like a rabbit being chased by a lion from the start of the race. The strategy worked: not only did Khonkobe reach the halfway mark in a record-breaking time, his team mates went on to clinch the top three spots.

“I am happy and truly blessed to have the gift of running, and I’m honoured to be driving a brand-new Kia for the next year,” he said upon the receiving the keys to his sponsored Kia Seltos 1.5 CRDi EX Plus. “My thanks goes to Kia South Africa for this prize, and also to Nick Bester and the team at the Nedbank Running Club. I will be doing my best to defend my win next year!”

With race day approaching, runners are focused on nailing their taper and putting the final touches to their preparations for the 2024 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon in search of that coveted PB.

With all the training behind you and excitement building for the big day, it is important to tick all the boxes in the run-up to the race, which should include a review of everything you need to remember on race day. Follow these golden rules to ensure a successful race and nail your target time!

Click here to continue reading

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The boots are packed in a small carry bag that will fits easily into your suitcase when travelling and is rechargeable.

Energy Enhancer patches.

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For a demonstration at your Nedbank Running Club and more info contact Kerry Matthysen at K Mac Pharma <kmacpharma@gmail.com>

Comrades Marathon 2025 down route