The 'Happy Bunch' seek redemption at Comrades after dizzying setback

IOL News

2 days ago

Edward Mothibi celebrates after winning the 2019 Comrades Marathon. Photo: SIBONELO NGCOBO Independent Newspapers
Image: SIBONELO NGCOBO Independent Newspapers
The Nedbank Running Club's training group, fondly referred to as The Happy Bunch, are looking to regain their joy at this year's Comrades Marathon following a forgettable outing in the 2024 Up Run.
The 2024 edition of The Ultimate Human Race is sure to be chalked up by the group as an episode in their illustrious Comrades story best forgotten. Save for Dan Matshailwe finishing runner-up and Joseph Manyedi coming in fourth, there were no other gold medals for the group, who are accustomed to dominating the top ten.
The duo have since left the group, leaving former champions Edward Mothibi and Tete Dijana, along with multiple gold medallist Johannes Makgetla, to carry the torch – the trio having 'seen dust' last year. For reasons still baffling to them, they – along with Galaletsang Mekgoe, who finished fourth in 2022 – all suffered dizzy spells during the race.
Dijana, champion back-to-back in 2022 and 2023, was the worst affected – the sight of him hobbling along the road as his legs turned to jelly a sad, lingering memory from last year's race. He finished in 14th place.
Mothibi did not fare quite as badly, but he too struggled inexplicably and ended up finishing two places behind Dijana.
They are still reeling from what happened last year, despite Mothibi and Makgetla's assertions that 'we are over it'. The disappointment of failing to achieve a hat-trick of victories still lingers, and what hurts Dijana most is missing out on a green number.
'If I had won last year, I was going to get a green number,' Dijana lamented. 'But something happened that I still cannot explain.
"I felt dizzy early in the race and later, my legs just could not carry me. It's painful.
"Of course, I cannot say someone did me dirty. The reality is, though, you can't help having your suspicions. It's in the past, and we're looking forward to doing better this time.'
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Mothibi was also robbed of his green number.
'I was going for my fifth successive gold, and my plan was to finish in the Top 10 – then I would have got a green number. That was part of my plan.
"Now I'm back to scratch chasing the green number, like all normal runners. What happened last year spoils the history I would have made at Comrades. Five successive gold medals is something people would have spoken about for seven years.'
Makgetla says he felt dizzy from the 60 km mark and was shocked to catch up with Dijana during the race, only to find they were all suffering from the same symptoms.
'Last year was very bad, but I'm over all that. I've been through a lot in life, and this is just one more issue I've brushed aside.
"I'm ready to go for it again this year. I've not been as fit as I currently am, and I'm aiming for a top ten. What happened last year messed up my plans – I had hoped this would be my last Comrades, but now I'll have to do another one.'
Mekgoe, on the other hand, has had a tough time since that incredible fifth-place rookie finish, which left many expecting her to become the first black woman to win the Comrades. The 28-year-old has not come close to gold since and was tearful during our interview in the chilly, quaint tourist town in Mpumalanga.
She attributes her struggles to the pressure of being a breadwinner.
'Everything is on me at home. My family depends on me, and I've always run under pressure, knowing I had to provide. It's been very tough.
"I always felt I couldn't let them down, and that affected my running. I didn't run with freedom. As if that wasn't enough, I've also struggled with injuries in recent years,' Mekgoe says, before sharing a sad tale of her family's situation.
While she previously relied solely on the monthly stipend from the Nedbank Running Club, she is now better off financially, having found a job in a mine in Carletonville. But although this has eased her financial burdens, it has robbed her of the time to train as an elite athlete.
She now goes into the Comrades somewhat undercooked, her preparations not having been as thorough as in the past.