Johannesburg — Gordon Lesetedi has often started the Comrades Marathon as a serious contender for glory. But over the years, misfortune has befallen him, the runner who trains under the tutelage of the revered John Hamlett either suffering pre-race illness, injuries or just having an unfortunate race day.
It is for that reason that he is yet to realise his dream and fulfil the potential his talent and through preparations have often deserved – a podium finish. He only has two gold medals.
Lesetedi’s best at the Comrades was a sixth-place finish in the 2018 down run when he ran a 5hr 39min 32sec. It was a good 13 minutes slower than the time ran by winner Bongmusa Mthembu.
Though pleased with the gold, Lesetedi was understandably disappointed given that he was in the shape of his life and went to KwaZulu-Natal sure he would be in the top three if not win the race. He again got gold the following year when he finished in ninth place, thanks to Nkosikhona Mhlakwana crumbling in the final few hundred metres to allow the runner popularly referred to as Zane and his then Entsika AC teammate Siya Mqambeli to sneak into the top 10.
Last year, the runner from Sekhing in the North West Province, missed out on gold as he finished in 11th position. He goes to this year’s race determined to make amends and finally deliver what those who know just how talented and how hard he works believe he is capable of.
Hamlett and Lesetedi’s training partner Gift Kelehe, who won in 2015, agree that the man who turns 38 later this month is in sizzling hot condition and should deliver his best run on Sunday.
“Gordon is on fire this time around and I expect him to be a serious challenger,” said the multiple champion-producing coach.
Kelehe concurred: “Gordon has learnt a lot in the past years and he’s now making use of those lessons and he is getting better and better.
“You must remember he missed out on a top 10 last year by a few seconds. He is going to get gold this year and he will be among the contenders.”
The athlete himself is confident of having a good run.
“I am fit and I have trained very well this year,” Lesetedi said from his high-altitude training camp in the quaint little town of Dullstroom in Mpumalanga.
“Unlike last year, when I went to the race with an injury, I am super fit this time around and I am going there to do my best. I can’t say what time I am going for because the time is often dictated to by the pace that the leading bunch runs.
“You can plan to run a certain time but if you move, they move with you and you have to be sensible in your racing. I know I am going to be there with them until the 60km from where I would look to make my move.”
While he is going to be wary of the opposition, Lesetedi is not having sleepless nights strategising on how he will get the better of his adversary. That is the job of his highly-experienced Hamlett.
“The Comrades Marathon is a beast of a race. You can’t say that because someone won it last year, they will win it again. The best way is to just focus on your race plan and hope that it gives you the victory,” Lesetedi said.
Lesetedi is delighted with his form ahead of the race, having run a couple of 2:30 marathons in Secunda and Mbombela. With the other top contenders running marathons way faster than his though, Lesetedi will have to dig very deep if he is to realise his long-held dream of finishing in the top three.
IOL Sport