Six athletes from Grahamstown completed the gruelling Comrades Marathon on Sunday. This year’s race was a ‘down’ run, starting in Pietermaritzburg and finishing in Durban, covering a distance of 89,28km.
Six athletes from Grahamstown completed the gruelling Comrades Marathon on Sunday. This year’s race was a ‘down’ run, starting in Pietermaritzburg and finishing in Durban, covering a distance of 89,28km.
While over 18 000 entries were reached by the beginning of the year, 14 620 runners were present at the start and 11 984 runners crossed the finishing line.
Eric Mapara, who completed his tenth Comrades this year so earning a permanent green number, said this year’s race, which he completed in 10:42:21, was the “worst one”.
The 63-year-old Mapara, who finished his 24th Two Oceans Marathon in April, said while last year’s event was windy at the end, this year’s Comrades was humid the “the whole way”.
Asked if he would be back for the Comrades in 2015, Mapara said quickly, “Of course.”
Nokuzola Apleni, who works at the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, finished her second Comrades this year.
Apleni finished the 2012 ‘down’ run, but then did not finish the 2013 ‘up’ run. Apleni’s father passed away in January 2013 and since she had already entered the race, decided to take part. But emotions ran high in the latter stages of the Comrades 2013 and Apleni pulled out of the race at the 76km mark.
Apleni said she was determined to return to the Comrades 2014 and “have fun”. Asked how she had fun in a gruelling event such as the Comrades, Apleni said she stopped at many of the festive water points and sang along to the music before continuing. She thanked Sindile Ngcese who helped with her training throughout the year. Apleni finished in 11:19:27.
The first Grahamstown runner home was Rooi Rikhotso, who finished in 7: 42:18 earning him a Bill Rowan medal.
