Cape Town – As the first South African woman in 14 years to clinch the title in the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon, Caroline Wöstmann had much to smile about and was beaming all the way to victory yesterday in a historic win of the 56km Ultra race.
Ahead of the finish line, with her white peak cap on back to front, 32-year-old Wöstmann, from Pretoria, could hardly contain her excitement as she passed last year’s winner, Russia’s Nina Podnebesnova, 35.
She added that she was in “shock” and could not believe it when she took the lead spot.
Wöstmann, in with a time of 03:41:23, is the first South African to claim the ladies race since 2001.
“I felt absolutely fantastic the whole way through.”
She had only hoped to at least place somewhere in the top 10.
“I trained by myself, but after I did so well in the Comrades last year I decided to take it more seriously and got myself a coach.”
Then in September, she started rigorous training with Lindsey Parry from the High Performance Centre.
Wöstmann, a chartered accountant who lectures finance and management accounting at Wits University, now has her sights firmly set on the upcoming Comrades.
In her first Ultra win, Wöstmann walks away with a cash prize of R250 000.
She later admitted she needed to take a rest ahead of next month’s Comrades in Durban.
“I have heard that if you run the Two Oceans it takes a lot out of you if you’re also doing the Comrades, so I’ll have a good rest.
“I don’t even know what the prize money is, but I’ll spend it on a holiday and taking time with the family.”
Despite being touted to retain her defending title, Podnebesnova, with a time of 03:44:06, came in at second place while third was taken by one of South Africa’s top marathon runners in her debut Ultra, 38-year-old Tanith Maxwell.
In fifth place was another local hot contender, Charné Bosman, 39, whose marathon this year was to raise greater awareness around breast cancer.
In the men’s race, Lesotho’s Motlokoa Nkhabutlane was an emphatic winner as he coasted in well clear to annex the title.
Nkhabutlane, a second-place finisher in the 2011 race, won in 3:10:29.
He was followed home by Zimbabwean Collen Makaza in a time of 3:12:43.
And there was place for another Lesotho runner on the podium when Nkhabutlane’s countryman Moeketsi Mosuhli ended third in 3:13:46. – The Sunday Independent
Additional reporting by ANA.