Tragedy mars end of Comrades Marathon

Published Jun 18, 2007

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By Stephanie Saville & Amelia Naidoo

The shattering of the long-held down-run record of the Comrades Marathon was marred by a finish-line tragedy when a runner died after being carried over the tape on Sunday.

The Gauteng runner, whose name is being withheld until his family have been informed, was dragged over the finish line less than three minutes before the 4.30pm bronze medal cut-off time by fellow athletes.

Comrades Marathon Association medical spokesperson Jeremy Boulter confirmed that the 33-year-old man had collapsed as he entered Durban's Kingsmead stadium, and was carried over the finish line.

Doctors and paramedics worked on the man at the finish line for about 20 minutes. However, he was declared dead after he was taken to the medical tent.

Another runner was in a critical condition at St Augustine's Hospital on Sunday night. The man collapsed after finishing the race and also needed resuscitation.

Otherwise it was a near-perfect sunny winter's day, with no disruptions by disgruntled unions, and cheering crowds lining the route, Comrades Marathon Association General Manager Gary Boshoff said.

Russian Leonid Shvetsov smashed the down-run record of 5.24.07 long held by Comrades darling Bruce Fordyce, to take home a Harmony Gold Hermes statuette worth R260 000 in addition to prize money of R200 000. Shvetsov ran in a time of 5.20.49. He beamed and blew kisses to the crowd, and high-fived fans as he absorbed the fact that he had broken Fordyce's record.

Second home was Grigory Murzin in a time of 5.30.20, followed by KwaZulu-Natal man Mncedisi Mkhize of Mtwalume in 5.32.58. Mkhize said that his run had gone well.

"If you run as your own person, your run will be good. I feel fine and have no pain. I am on top of the world," said Mkhize, who placed eighth last year in the up-run.

Russian twins Olesya and Elena Nurgalieva finished just 29 seconds apart, with Olesya winning her first Comrades in 6.10.10. She sprinted into the stadium, ponytail swinging and with her arms held high. She waited at the finish for her twin, who followed close on her heels, embracing and kissing her when she arrived.

The twins posed for pictures, flashing smiles at the cameras, while Premier S'bu Ndebele gave them a double thumbs-up. They denied that they had decided who would win, saying that Elena had told her sister to move ahead as she could not keep up with her.

Third in the women's race was Comrades novice Madina Biktagirova, also of Russia, in 6.22.02.

The first South African woman home was Farwa Mentoor in fourth place. Mentoor said that she had "felt unbeatable" among local Comrades runners. She admitted that she was "sore" after hobbling up a few tortuous stairs to the winner's podium.

Grace de Oliveira, of Durban, the first KwaZulu-Natal woman home and 10th in the women's race, said that, although she had had a "great and trouble-free run", the Comrades was never easy. Running her ninth Comrades, she has achieved seven gold medals and two silvers.

The prize-giving for the event was delayed by 10 minutes as the top runners underwent drug tests.

The winners were greeted by Ndebele; Sport and Recreation MEC Amichand Rajbansi; the mayors of eThekwini and Msunduzi, Obed Mlaba and Zanele Hlatswayo respectively; Comrades Marathon Association Chairman Dave Dixon and Athletics South Africa President Leonard Chuene.

Fears that the race would be sabotaged by striking unions were resolved at the 11th hour at fruitful talks between the organisers and the unions. Boshoff said that a meeting had been held on Saturday afternoon, where Cosatu had given an undertaking that no disruptions would take place. However, a strong police and security presence monitored the race.

Described as "frank and honest deliberations", the talks had focused on the threatened participation in the race of Cosatu members on strike. Chuene said that the amount of work invested by athletes in preparing for the Comrades Marathon had been acknowledged.

He said the athletes had never been the targets of the campaign by Cosatu. The fact that some of the beneficiaries of the race were charity organisations had also been taken into account.

A large crowd flocked to the finish to greet friends and family who were among the footsore and weary who had completed the race.

The atmosphere in the stadium was lively as the Russians made it home, but the crowd went into raptures as the South African runners entered the gates, banging the advertising boards and blowing vuvuzelas as they welcomed their fellow countrymen and women home.

Entering into the spirit of the race was Andrew Thompson, 28, an expatriate from Sydney. Thompson, a teacher, said that he was elated to have run the Comrades.

"It has always been a childhood dream of mine, but it is a once-off and I can tick that box off now," said Thompson. "Next, I will tackle the Duzi Canoe Marathon." He ran in a time of 7.55 and had returned to South Africa just for the race. "It was fantastic. I wanted to turn around and run back to Pietermaritzburg, but they wouldn't let me."

Boshoff said that, after a prize-giving ceremony in Durban on Monday, the Comrades team would have a short rest.

"And then we start planning again for next year," he added.

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