The 68km Legends Marathon was filled with surprises and probably still has many a spectator scratching their heads wondering what had happened
The 60:11 commemorative half marathon meanwhile delivered as exciting a finish as the original race did, just without the record aspect.
The entertaining new 10km race also attracted many fine runners.
Probably the big stories from the 68km is that Zimbabwean winner Lyno Mushena, of Phatane AC has a fairly low-key pedigree in racing against so many talented ultra marathon runners. He finished 539th in the 2016Comrades and did not finish in 2015.
The winning time of 4:07:44 is the slowest yet by 39 seconds bringing into question claims by many pundits that the new route would be faster. That said, nobody appeared to want to push the pace early on.
The women’s winner on the other hand has now run two big races in East London and won them both.
Ann Ashworth, of Born 2 Run, Johannesburg won Legends by a huge margin of 24:45 to finish in 4:58:29. She also won the Buffs Marathon in February in a race record time of 2:48.
None of the three big Comrades names finished among the prize-winners and the podium was made up of Sipho Ndlela of Nedbank and his club compatriot Delani Mkhize, who in 2014 managed a 51st place at Comrades to add to his 48th in 2011.
Ndlela was just 49 seconds behind the winner and the race was only finally decided on the Esplanade.
Asked at the finish when he thought he might win, Mushena said that at no stage “did I know that it would happen”.
When he overtook and left the 2017 Comrades Marathon winner, Bongmusa Mthembu, behind at about 17km to go, he simply decided to put everything into his run and see where it took him.
One of the few top finishers with a genuine pedigree, was fourth-placed Charles Tjiane, of Maxed Elite, who came eighth at last year’s Two Oceans with a time of 3:19:10.
Second-placed in the women’s race, Mnganseni Mathibeli, of Nedbank was a surprise result in 5:23:14 with the most experienced of the women, Monica Kativhu, of Nedbank Zimbabwe in third – just 1:17 off the pace.
The men’s half marathon ended up in a sprint finish. Silindile Gubese, of Pantina AC came away with a win in 66:31, followed by Lukhanjo Ngxoko of Born 2 Run in 66:34. Two Oceans winner Lungile Gongqa of Nedbank was a distant third in 68:05.
The women’s 21km race saw powerful running by Jenet Mbhele of Umzimkulu Striders. She led from start to finish recording 77:35.
The pre-race favourite, Liziwe Mabona, of Ampa AC finished second in 79:34 but was pushed all the way by Stephanie Smith of Born 2 Run, who narrowed the gap over the final 4km. Smith ran a personal best 80:01.
The 10km races were won by Melikaya Frans, of IKhamva AC in a time of 30:07 and Hanlie Botha,of Born 2 Run in 36:01.
Stuff of Legends full of surprises: Annual marathon sports ‘low-key pedigree’ men’s winner
The 60:11 commemorative half marathon meanwhile delivered as exciting a finish as the original race did, just without the record aspect.
The entertaining new 10km race also attracted many fine runners.
Probably the big stories from the 68km is that Zimbabwean winner Lyno Mushena, of Phatane AC has a fairly low-key pedigree in racing against so many talented ultra marathon runners. He finished 539th in the 2016Comrades and did not finish in 2015.
The winning time of 4:07:44 is the slowest yet by 39 seconds bringing into question claims by many pundits that the new route would be faster. That said, nobody appeared to want to push the pace early on.
The women’s winner on the other hand has now run two big races in East London and won them both.
Ann Ashworth, of Born 2 Run, Johannesburg won Legends by a huge margin of 24:45 to finish in 4:58:29. She also won the Buffs Marathon in February in a race record time of 2:48.
None of the three big Comrades names finished among the prize-winners and the podium was made up of Sipho Ndlela of Nedbank and his club compatriot Delani Mkhize, who in 2014 managed a 51st place at Comrades to add to his 48th in 2011.
Ndlela was just 49 seconds behind the winner and the race was only finally decided on the Esplanade.
Asked at the finish when he thought he might win, Mushena said that at no stage “did I know that it would happen”.
When he overtook and left the 2017 Comrades Marathon winner, Bongmusa Mthembu, behind at about 17km to go, he simply decided to put everything into his run and see where it took him.
One of the few top finishers with a genuine pedigree, was fourth-placed Charles Tjiane, of Maxed Elite, who came eighth at last year’s Two Oceans with a time of 3:19:10.
Second-placed in the women’s race, Mnganseni Mathibeli, of Nedbank was a surprise result in 5:23:14 with the most experienced of the women, Monica Kativhu, of Nedbank Zimbabwe in third – just 1:17 off the pace.
The men’s half marathon ended up in a sprint finish. Silindile Gubese, of Pantina AC came away with a win in 66:31, followed by Lukhanjo Ngxoko of Born 2 Run in 66:34. Two Oceans winner Lungile Gongqa of Nedbank was a distant third in 68:05.
The women’s 21km race saw powerful running by Jenet Mbhele of Umzimkulu Striders. She led from start to finish recording 77:35.
The pre-race favourite, Liziwe Mabona, of Ampa AC finished second in 79:34 but was pushed all the way by Stephanie Smith of Born 2 Run, who narrowed the gap over the final 4km. Smith ran a personal best 80:01.
The 10km races were won by Melikaya Frans, of IKhamva AC in a time of 30:07 and Hanlie Botha,of Born 2 Run in 36:01.
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