Gift Kelehe has is raring to go ahead of this years Comrades marathon. Picture: Sibonelo Ngcobo/African News Agency (ANA) Archives
Cape Town – The veterans’ section (40-49-year-olds) of this year’s Comrades Marathon is going to be a hotly-contested affair with some big names having expressed a desire to snatch the gold medal.
But what chance do any of the contenders have of emulating the legendary Wally Hayward and Vladimir Kotov and capturing not only their age category prize but the overall title?
Former champion Gift Kelehe believes he can add his name to the history books alongside those two Comrades superstars by winning the down run from Pietermaritzburg to Durban on Sunday, June 11. Kotov remains the oldest man to win the Comrades Marathon, capturing his third title in 2004 as a 46-year-old. The Belarusian beat the mark set by Wally Hayward, himself a multiple winner as a veteran, in 1954 when he was 44.
Kelehe, who is 42 and has been running Comrades since 2007, was victorious way in 2015 and has six golds from 14 races and one DNF (did not finish). He pulled out of last year’s edition at the pre-race conference in protest against the reduced prize money.
His coach, John Hamlett, said “Gift is in great shape” and the athlete himself is confident he has what it takes to mix it up with the younger generation in this year’s race.
“I am coming back full force. I believe I still have the strength to be competitive. Yes the youngsters have the speed, but I have the experience that is key to winning Comrades,” he said during our interview at a park in the quaint little town of Dullstroom in Mpumalanga where he and his teammates are doing high-altitude training.
However, adding the down run title to the up run he won eight years ago could prove a bridge too far. Perhaps Kelehe should strive for the veteran’s prize.
Even in that category, he will have to dig deep because the competition is sure to be stiff. Last year’s veteran winner Johannes Makgetla, who finished fifth overall, is looking to improve on his time of 5:41:36.
“I want go there and do much better than I did last year. I am looking to run at least a 5:38,” Makgetla, who runs for the Nedbank Running Club that dominated the Top 10 last year, said at their camp in Dullstroom.
To hold on to the veterans’ title, the 41-year-old Makgetle has to beat, among others, teammate Joseph Manyedi who came in at 7th with a 5:44:56. Manyedi – who previously finished fifth – is “on fire”, according to their coach, Dave Adams, and looked it during a fartlek session here on Monday.
The former Om Die Dam (50km) champion has loftier goals than his teammate Makgetle.
“Of course I’m going for gold. To get that, one is going to have to run a 5:30 and we are going to be pushing each other towards that goal during the race,” he said, pointing to his teammates sitting around the lounge on a cold Dullstroom evening.
He had a struggle last year, having to stop for a body break, and ended up being left behind. But the 40-year-old has learnt from his mistakes and is hell-bent on having his best Comrades ever – and what better way than to win the veterans’ category in his first year in the age group.
Solicitor Manduwa was a surprise top tenner last year, coming in at eighth despite not having had “the most ideal preparations”. He believes he has had it good since joining Willie Mtolo’s Entsika Athletic Club and is confident he will improve on his time.
“I just want to run a faster race than I did last year (5:46:10) and my training has gone very well,” said the athlete, who comes from Malawi.
Multiple gold medallist Charles Tjiane of Maxed Elite came ninth last year, showing there is still a lot of bite left in the old dog and he should be there and thereabouts again next weekend.
Former champions Claude Moshiywa and Ludwick Mamabolo may be long in the tooth, but they are such experienced campaigners that you rule them out of gold medal contention at your peril.
And as is always the case, the Comrades Marathon always throws in some nasty surprises. Could this year’s one be a veteran winner à la Kotov and Hayward?
@Tshiliboy
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