A large contingent of Grahamstown athletes took part in Saturday’s annual Oak Cottage Mountain Drive half marathon. The event took place from the Rhodes University Prospect Field, and was again hosted by Run/Walk For Life Athletics Club.
A large contingent of Grahamstown athletes took part in Saturday’s annual Oak Cottage Mountain Drive half marathon. The event took place from the Rhodes University Prospect Field, and was again hosted by Run/Walk For Life Athletics Club.
Athletes were sent over the Mountain Drive for a challenging 7km section, before a flat and fast last half took athletes through the industrial area, around the aerodrome, along Cradock Road and back to the Prospect Field.
First Grahamstown athlete home was Sisa Camasu who finished in 1 hour 19 minutes 19 seconds.
Basie Bonaparte, 49, of Albany Road Runners, who finished in an impressive time of 1 hour 23 minutes 29 seconds, was second Grahamstown athlete home.
So competitive was the veteran section that, even with his impressive showing, Bonaparte finished sixth in the category, after winning the category last year.
Third local home was Masixole Xayiya of host club Run/Walk For Life, seven seconds behind Bonaparte.
First local woman home was Natalie Ross of Rhodes University Athletics Club, finishing in 1:35:11, and taking second spot overall in the women’s race.
Ross also won the Queen of the Mountain, for being the first woman to the highest point of Mountain Drive.
Next local woman was Terri-Lynn Penney of the host club, in 1:40:19 with Christine Coppinger third local woman home in 1:43:49.
The overall race winner was Melikhaya Frans (Tinarha Athletics Club) in 1:12:16, with Melikhaya Kepe (Nedbank Running Club Eastern Province) second in 1:13:07 and former Two Oceans Ultra winner, George Ntshiliza (Bluewater Bay) third in 1:13:58.
Overall women’s winner was Asanda Solani (Vukani athletics club) in 1:34:20, followed by Ross, with Jane Barnardo (Body Concept) third in 1:37:31. See full results on page 29.
