Johannesburg - East Africa’s grip on the men’s race at the Soweto Marathon is set to tighten as Ethiopia’s Sintayehu Legese Yinesu eyes a third straight title on Sunday.
The race for both men and women has been firmly in the hands of runners from Ethiopia and Kenya since its redesign in 2014.
Michael Mazibuko was the last South African to win the 42.2km race in 2011.
Kenya’s Shadrack Kemboi won the race in 2012 before Yinesu claimed the title on the relaunched route for the first time in 2014.
Yinesu posted a winning time of two hours, 17 minutes and 55 seconds (2:17:55) that year before crossing the line in first place once again in 2015 with a time of 2:23:20.
Yinesu’s manager Belay Hagos said that although the athlete was not feeling well, he was confident he would recover in time and successfully defend his title.
“He said he will again try to win this race, he trained very well, and believes he is one of the strongest athletes in the field,” Hagos said.
Chief among the challengers is Zimbabwe’s Mike Fokoroni, who won the Two Oceans this year and 2013 Comrades Marathon winner Claude Moshiywa. Last year eight athletes dipped under two hours and 30 minutes but the heat wave in Gauteng will make that a difficult target this year.
Meanwhile, the country’s top female road runner, Irvette van Zyl, will also be looking to return the Soweto Marathon title to the hands of a South African.
She will go up against defending champion Harriet Jepchumba Chebore of Kenya, who raced home in 2015 in a time of 2:50:15.
The Soweto Marathon is considered one of the tougher races on the South African athletics calendar due to the altitude and the time of the year.
Conditions will be trying for the record 25 000 runners.
“Last year's time was a bit slower than in 2014 on the redesigned route but it was also a bit warmer,” Van Zyl said. “At least I have been training in the heat, so I am prepared for it, it is a hilly course which will be a factor over the last 10km.
“There are a few girls that I have seen who are good on paper, so it will be quite a test for me.”
Rene Kalmer’s victory at the 2009 edition is the last by a South African woman.
The Soweto Marathon will take place on Sunday from FNB Stadium.
The Star