Wostmann and Fokoroni are Two Oceans Champions

Wostmann ran exactly to her pre-race plans cruising through to Constntia Nek at her projected target pace and then hitting the turbo boost for the final 8km to reel in the competition and defend her title in three hours 44 minutes and 44 seconds.

“I’m happy with the run and it;s great to win,” said Wostmann.

"but importantly I am pleased with where I am in my preparation for Comrades.”

“We (the coach and I), planned for a longer and later peak to Comrades this year, so I am slightly behind where I was last year so I wasn't really expecting a win today,” continued the KPMG athlete who was only three minutes off her 2015 time.  

It was Tanith Maxwell who led the ladies field out going through the marathon in 2:47:54 with only four seconds in hand over Ethiopian Amelework Bosho who had closed the early gap on the climb from Hout Bay.

Both ladies share a marathon best of 2 hours 32 minutes so it was little surprise that they were closely matched as they made the tough climb with Bosho cresting Constantia Nek in first place.

“I didn't want to go to lead so early but no one came with me, so I stuck to my own plan,” said the 39 year old Maxwell. 

“I struggled a bit on Constantia but was on my pace at constantia and regained the lead on the decent past Kirstenboch. “

Although Wostmann was maintaining pace she was picking up over ambitious contenders to go through the marathon in 2:51:25 in fourth and crested Constantia in third to take the lead seven kilometres later.

“It was always planned to run harder over the final eight km, but of course it always feels good to be passing runners (men and women) and this helped me to catch Tanith with three kilometres to go,” said Wostmann.

“I had thought that Bosho was coming back so was a bit surprised to see Caroline, but there was nothing I could do. I had absolutely no response…. And settled for second,” said Maxwell  “Third last year, second this, so a win next year?” joked the western province athlete who finished in 3:45:55.

Bosho held on for third in 3:47:40.

Six of the top 10 ladies beat the four hour silver cut off including a former South African Olympian Colleen de Reuck, who despite being a 51 year-old novice to ultradistance races, covered the hilly 56km journey in 3:53:07, taking a massive 22 minutes from the previous age group record.

De Reuck represented South Africa at 10,000m and marathon at the Olympics and remains the SA Marathon record holder.  This extremely talented athlete was recorded through 50 kms in 3;27:38 which when ratified will be a new world age group record for 50-54 category eclipsing the previous record  3:41:57  set by Britain’s Petrie, Lavina in Canberra AUS in 1994 

“Growing up in  South Africa Two Oceans and Comrades are events that one has to do at sometime, so this has been on the list for years, but it was tougher than I expected today,” said ex Durbanite. “I know I need some more long runs before May. This is a beautiful race, but it was useful in showing me where my training is for Comrades.”

De Reuck will return in early May to get some experience on the course. 

“We only arrived in South Africa on Wednesday and leave on Monday so there is not much time as I need to get back for work and so on. I will have much more time before Comrades to acclimmatise as today I was getting up as my body was telling me it was time to go to bed,” contiunued the resident of Boulder Colerado.

Her performance today, together with her years of competitive experience, will probably see her not only set a new 50 age group best for Comrades, but also puts her as a prime contender for gold.

In the men’s race South African marathon recordholder, Gert Thys, once again led the race at half way going through Noordhoek’s 28km mark in a blistering one hour 33 minutes 58 seconds, with 2012 Comrades winner Ludwick Mamabola in second, and a chase group of eight just over a minute off the pace.

By the top of Constantia a trio of Zimbabweans, led by the experienced Mike Fokoroni crested the Nek, with Mamabola back in fourth and

Collen Makaza, a two time world 50km champion, looked strong but as traditional it was a pair of Lesotho athletes, Motlokoa Nkhabutlane and Mabhutile Lebopo, who looked dangerous as they headed towards Kirstenbosch top gate.

As Fokoroni neared Kirstenbosch he was recorded through the Internationally recognised 50km in a world class time of 2 hours 52 minutes 52 seconds.  Makaza was only 49 seconds adrift with Motlokoa Nkhabutlane third in 2:55:09.

This order remained the same over the six remaining kilometres to see Fokoroni take the honours in 3:13:36 and Makaza defending his runner up position in 3:14:48, and Nkhabutlane in 3:16:25.

Lesotho’s Namoke Nkhasi won the half marathon in one hour three minutes 38 seconds pipping South African middle distance star Elroy Gelant by two seconds, with David Manja a further five seconds adrift.

Gelant can be happy with this week which commenced with an attempt at the SA 5000m record in the second of the ASA After Dark Series at greeen point stadium, where we ran 13 minutes 20 seconds missing the record by 9 seconds.

Irvette van Zyl dominated the ladies race with a time of one hour 13 minutes 14 seconds, four minutes clear of Botswana’s Onnelie Dintwe with Alina Armas third in 1:18:05.

Results:

56km Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon:

Men: 

1 Mike Fokoroni ZIM 3:13:36

2 Collen Makaza ZIM 3:14:48,  

3 Motlokoa Nkhabutlane LES 3:16:25, 

4 Mabhutile Lebopo LES 3:16:31, 

5 Porthiper Dombojena ZIM 3:17:43, 

6 Ludwick Mamabolo Nedbank AGN 3:17:55

7 Charles Tjiane Maxed Elite KZN  3:19:13 

8 Kebede Dinke ETH 3:19:54  

9 Siphiwe Ndlela  Nedbank KZN 3;19:58 

10 Moses Kurgat KEN 3:20:55

Women:

1 Caroline Wostmann KPMG 3:44:44

2 Tanith Maxwell Boxer 3:45:55, 

3 Amelework Bosho ETH 3:47:40 

4 Charne Bosman Nedbank  AGN 3;48:40  

5 Colleen de Reuck USA 3:53:07 

6 Kerry-Ann Marshal Atlantic 3:57:39 

7 Jenniffer Keoch KEN 4:02:23 

8 Simona Staicu HUN 4:02:59

9 Alemtsehay Kakissa ETH 4:03:55 

10 Julanie Basson Born2Run 4:06:44 

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