VETERAN Zimbabwe long distance runner Stephen Muzhingi put on a commendable display at Comrades Marathon after finishing a creditable fourth in the gruelling 89km race in KwaZulu-Natal yesterday.
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The three-times Comrades Marathon winner crossed the finishing line in 5 hours, 35 minutes, 18 seconds, a significant improvement to last year when he came 10th in 5:52:37.
Another Zimbabwean Prodigal Khumalo clocked 5 hours 39 minutes 36 seconds to finish on 9th position and join Muzhingi as the only two local runners to finish in the top 10.
South African Bongmusa Mthembu won his maiden Comrades Marathon as he crossed the finishing line in a time of five hours, 28 minutes and 34 seconds (5:28.34).
He finished the 89,28 kilometres race over four minutes ahead of Ludwick Mamabolo, the defending “down run” winner from 2012 who recorded a time of 5:33.14.
Mthembu took the lead just before Cowies Hill-approximately 17 kilometres before the Kingsmead Stadium finish – and never looked back, finishing strongly on his way to claiming the R350 000 top-prize.
Briton Eleanor Greenwood broke the Russian stronghold on the Comrades by becoming the first athlete outside eastern Europe in 11 years to win.
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In one of the biggest reversals ever witnessed in the history of the race from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, Greenwood came from being close to eight minutes behind with around 18km remaining, to win in a time of six hours, 18 minutes and 15 seconds (6:18.15).
That gave the 35-year-old a handsome five minute and four second victory over legendary Russian Elena Nurgalieva (6:23.18), who was bidding to win a record ninth crown and equal the mark held by Bruce Fordyce.
Twin sister Olesya, a double former champion, came third in a time of a 6:24.51.
Results from the 2014 Comrades Marathon men’s race run from Pietermaritzburg to Durban yesterday.
1. Bongmusa Mthembu (Nedbank RC) KZN five hours, 28 minutes and 34 seconds (5:28:34) 2. Ludwick Mamabolo (Nedbank RC) GAUTENG 5:33:14 3. Gift Kelehe (Samancor Chrome MC) LIMPOPO 5:34:39 4. Stephen Muzhingi (Toyota AC) ZIMBABWE 5:35:18 5. Rufus Photo (Pietersburg RR) LIMPOPO 5:35:30 6. Mncedisi Mkhize (Maxed Elite) KZN 5:36:06 7. Jonas Buud (Nedbank RC) SWEDEN 5:38:17 8. Manoko William Mokwalakwala GAUTENG 5:39:29 9. Prodigal Khumalo (Maxed Elite) ZIMBABWE 5:39:36
