CAPE TOWN – Kenya’s Morris Gachaga fought off competition from Ugandan Abdallah Mande down the stretch to claim a third Cape Town OneRun title in Cape Town on Sunday morning.
The pair sprung free early and ensured a thrilling battle down the final few kilometres as they kept up a furious pace.
Gachaga’s 33:27 record time set back in 2017 was under threat as Mande stepped up to present a very real threat.
The pair were matching each other stride for stride until some tactics through Adderley Street and up Company’s Garden put the time record out of sight.
The winner was still in question as Mande appeared to have Gachaga in some difficulty. The latter, though, proved his class as he took full advantage of his course knowledge to burst clear down Bree Street to claim the win in a time of 33:38 - a single second ahead of of Mande.
South Africa’s Stephen Mokoka was part of a three-man group battling for third and much to the delight of the home crowds lining the finish line it was the local star who managed to claim third place with a time just 12 seconds behind the winner.
Countryman Milton Kekana ensured a second home name to round out the top-10.