Elite Eastern Cape runners bag PBs at Comrades
The first runner to cross the finish line with EC roots was the Xhorha-born star athlete, Sithembiso Mqhele of the Nedbank Running Club, who completed his race in 5:42:11, beating his 2024 time of 5:57:44.
Mqhele said he had a good race this year compared to last year.
'I executed the plan as instructed by my coach, which was for me to run at the back of the leading bunch so that I could take on all those dropping back from the bunch. We reached all targets, even though I did not get into the top 10,' Mqhele said.
Because he runs for a club affiliated with KwaZulu-Natal Athletics, Mqhele was the second provincial athlete to finish the race after Bongumusa Mthembu.
Having improved his time and overall position in the race from 38th on the up run to 13th on Sunday, Mqhele said he was thrilled to take home yet another Wally Hayward medal.
Mthatha's Musa Zweni, who finished his race in 05:50:59, almost eight minutes better than his previous finish of 05:58:47, was the second most highly placed Eastern Cape athlete.
'I am very happy with my new personal best time. We have a three-year plan with the coach, so we have ticked one year and we continue with the plan,' Zweni said.
Impala Marathon Club's Mthandazo Qhina from Qunu, who now lives in the Western Cape and has represented that province in several national competitions, completed his race in 5:56:46, an improved performance from his 6:01 time in 2024.
'I spent a lot of time at the back of the bunch, and that delayed me,' Qhina said.
'If I were in the front, the top 10 would not have been far. I could have made it because the people in the top 10 are the same people I was training with.
'Getting into the top 10 was not difficult for me, but the only problem was that the coach said I must be at the back with my other teammate who was in the top 10 before.'
Another Nedbank Running Club athlete, Lulamile Danile, recorded his personal best with a 6:24:53, improving his previous finish of 6:17:40 in the race.
Danile said he was excited to run his personal best time and will now focus on improving.
Zwelonke Athletic Club's Thulani Sidziya hit the finish mat at the People's Park in Durban in 6:44:21, taking home another silver medal, in an improved time from his previous 7:16:43 in 2024.
Sidziya said he planned to run an improved sub-7:00 for another silver medal.
'I came in at 6:44:21. I am very happy with this result because it is the result of a properly executed race plan,' Sidziya said.
Hollywood Athletics Club's novice Owen Tshibo introduced himself with a 7:20:53 finish for his first run from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, his first-ever ultra-marathon.
Tshibo was pleased with his silver medal time.
'To be honest, this was not my target coming to Comrades. But I set a target for something I don't know, since this was my first race.
'I am very happy to be getting this silver medal because many people don't get silver in their first Comrades,' he said. — WATCH: We are the Champions news agency
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