Precious Mashele wins SA Half Marathon champs as foreigners dominate women’s race

Precious Mashele showcased his world-class potential with an impressive performance in the men’s race on Saturday, while the foreign contingent ensured fast times in the women’s contest at the Nelson Mandela Bay Half-Marathon, incorporating the ASA Half Marathon Championships in Gqeberha.

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While the pace was not lightning quick in the early stages, Stephen Mokoka turned it up in the second half of the men’s event, repeatedly breaking up the lead group.

Just when it looked like Mokoka had the race in the bag in the closing stages after producing another strong surge, Precious Mashele fought back until he drew clear in the race for the finishing line.

Mashele completed the race in 1:01:17, adding the title to the national 5 000m conquest he won at the ASA Track and Field Championships in Tshwane last month.

Mokoka clocked 1:01:24 to grab the silver medal, holding off a charge from Mbuleli Mathanga who was awarded the bronze medal after clocking 1:01:25.

“It was difficult because of the lockdown last year, but my coach (Hendrick Ramaala) motivated me to keep training hard, so I am grateful to win here and I am so happy with this result,” Mashele said.

“I want to thank my coach and my training partners for helping me achieve my goal today.”

Meanwhile, Brillian Jepkor Kipkoech of Kenya dominated the women’s overall battle, tearing the rest of the field apart to win in 1:07:32, with Sisay Alemaddis of Ethiopia taking second place in the open race in 1:08:04.

In the national championship, Glenrose Xaba was the best of the local athletes, earning the gold medal in 1:09:30 by taking fifth position overall.

Fresh off her SA record marathon performance in Italy earlier this month, Gerda Steyn took the silver medal in ninth place overall (1:12:13) and Irvette van Zyl also recovered sufficiently from her sub-2:30 marathon to earn bronze in 10th overall (1:12:54).

Displaying impressive depth across the board, the top nine men ran under 1:02:00 and the top five women dipped under 1:10:00.

”This has been a befitting way to return to road running, after many races opted to halt their normal annual races due to Covid related decisions,” said an overjoyed Aleck Skhosana, President of Athletics South Africa. 

“We hope that other organisers will find a viable away to host races under these difficult times of the pandemic.

“It’s another cap for Eastern Province Athletics and its partners in successfully hosting events, especially when the Corona virus has stopped others. We applaud the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan for their continued partnership with athletics over the years and look forward to working with then in the future.”

KwaZulu Natal Athletics won gold in the men’s team competition, followed by Central Gauteng Athletics who took silver and Athletics Gauteng North who walked away with the bronze medal. In the women’s team competition, CGA took gold, with AGN at second, while KZNA took bronze.