As always another weekend of great running from the Green Dream Team, but the weekend definitely belonged to one specific athlete who was not only crowned the champion of the 2017 Old Mutual Wild Series Golden Gate Challenge, but also broke his own race record!
Eric Ngubane, the defending champion in the men’s race, ran like a man on a mission for three days, taking almost seven minutes off his 2016 winning time (and event record) to complete the race in an overall time of 6:23:23.
Another man on a mission was definitely Derocious Makhobalo who claimed podium positions at two races in one weekend. Makhobalo won the Burger & Co 15km in Boksburg in a time of 48:37, only one day after he came second (70:02) at the CSIR Half Marathon in Pretoria.
Teammate Pele Tshikundamalema flew the Great Grandmaster flag high when he claimed victory at the Burger & Co 15km in a time of 79:15. And that only a day after he claimed another win at the CSIR Half Marathon in a time of 1:51:34.
The ever-present Ntombesintu Mfunzi did it for the Nedbank women when she broke the tape at the White Cane 10km in Port Elizabeth in a time of 37:53.
RESULTS
2017 OLD MUTUAL WILD SERIES GOLDEN GATE CHALLENGE, 20 – 22 OCTOBER
Men
Open
1. Eric Ngubane (NRC/KZN) (New Record)
Day 1: 02:24:50 (27km)
Day 2: 02:30:09 (29km)
Day 3: 01:28:26 (17km)
Total 06:23:23
OMMIEDRAAI 10 KM, KENILWORTH, 22 OCTOBER
Men
Grandmasters
2. Robbie Lindsay (NRC) 39:54
Women
Open
1. Fortunate Chidzivo (NRC/ZIM) 37:57
Veterans
1. Busisiwe Matiwane (NRC) 42:39
2. Ursula Frans (NRC) 43:08
Masters
1. Obertina Kanyongo (NRC/ZIM) 42:09
2. Olga Howard (NRC) 43:27
Grandmasters
2. Charmaine Cupido (NRC) 48:44
BURGER & CO 15 KM, BOKSBURG, 22 OCTOBER
Men
Open
1. Derocious Makhobalo (NRC) 48:37
Great Grandmasters
1. Pele Tshikundamalema (NRC) 79:15
CSIR HALF MARATHON & 10 KM, PRETORIA, 21 OCTOBER
Half Marathon
Men
Open
2. Derocious Makhobalo (NRC) 70:02
Great Grandmasters
1. Pele Tshikundamalema (NRC) 1:51:34
10 km
Men
Veterans
1. Phillimon Manyaka (NRC) 35:49
2. Timothy Ratshilavhi (NRC) 38:02
WHITE CANE 10 KM, PORT ELIZABETH, 21 OCTOBER
Men
Open
5. Brendon Effenaar (NRC) 32:48
Veterans
2. Melikhaya Kepe (NRC) 35:50
3 Lesley Koeseba (NRC) 37:07
Great Grandmasters
3. Andre Fourie (NRC) 1:06:42
Women
Open
1. Ntombesintu Mfunzi (NRC) 37:53
Veterans
1. Toegeda Vyver (NRC) 47:46
Masters
2. Berenice Smith (NRC) 50:30
3. Buyelwa Kobokana (NRC) 50:47
Great Grandmasters
2. Ronelle Steyn (NRC) 1:04:42
WEST COAST AC HALF MARATHON, MELKBOSSTRAND, 21 OCTOBER
Men
Open
3. Vakalisa Kopolo (NRC) 1:12:33
Veterans
1. Vakalisa Kopolo (NRC) 1:12:33