It was one, three and four in the men’s marathon for the Nedbank Dream Green Team, with podiums in the veteran and Grandmaster categories; there was a clean sweep of the podium in the men’s half marathon; and also a one-two in the 10km, with the welcome return of 2008 Olympian Juan van Deventer.
Septile Raymond Phaladi won the men’s marathon in 2:34.03 – his target of finishing in the top ten at the Comrades marathon well on track. Phaladi led home a contingent of Dream Green Team athletes with Lympson Maifo third and Micah Kipyego in fourth.

For Septile the race almost did not happen, in fact it was a race to get to the race.
 
“I wasn't sure if I was going to go run the race after finishing work 22:30 on Friday. My cousin influenced me to go to the race and we arrived late due to traffic. Whilst I was busy registering the race started. I went to the start and followed the race, chasing hard from behind and to my surprise I was told I was lying 5th when starting the second lap. And here is where I started to believe and chase.
I realised that the top three where quite far ahead but after being told that I looked stronger than them, I kept moving until 30km where I caught the 3rd. It was a huge boost to me so I upped the chase pace. At 38km I caught the leader and from there moved away.
It was absolutely an amazing run for me but also an educational
NEVER GIVE UP UNTIL IS FINISH”

Vincent Kipchirchir led home a clean sweep in the men’s half marathon, clocking 71:43 on a tough course; Solly Sebothoma took second with Nicky Masombuka third and also the first veteran’s prize.
 
Whilst Moses Kiptoo comfortably won the men’s 10km, it was the runner up athlete who attracted quite the attention. Juan van Deventer was a finalist in the men’s 1500m (he finished 6th – to date the highest position a South African has finished in this event at an Olympics) at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. A car accident in  2011  cut short a very promising career as he struggled to regain the form he had in 2008. Van Deventer is now back on the comeback trail and is hoping, but not putting any pressure on himself, to be on the start line of the 1500m heats at the Rio Olympics on Tuesday 16 August.

Results
42km
Men
Open 1 Raymond Phaladi (Nedbank) 2:34:03; 3 Lympson Maifo (Nedbank) 2:39:11; 4 Micah Kipyego (Nedbank) 2:41:47;
Veterans; 3 Lucky Molapo (Nedbank) 3:00:05
Grandmasters 1 Daniel Hlongwane (Nedbank) 3:32:42

21km
Men
Open 1 Vincent Kipchirchir (Nedbank) 71:43; 2 Solly Sebothoma (Nedbank) 72:24; 3 Nicky Masombuka (Nedbank) 73:14
Veterans 1 Nicky Masombuka (Nedbank) 73:14;
Grandmasters 1 Francis van Blerk (Nedbank) 1:56:02

10km
Men
Open 1 Moses Kiptoo (Nedbank) 30:53; 2 Juan van Deventer (Nedbank) 31:13; 3