Zimbabwean runners Moses Tarakinyu and Fortunate Chidzivo dominated the 2022 TotalSports Two Oceans Half Marathon in CapeTown, South Africa on Saturday April 16th.
Debutant Moses Tarakinyu of Nedbank Running Club Zimbabwe emerge the winner of the men’s 21km half marathon race in 1:03:31 ahead of defending champion Elroy Gelant of Boxer Athletics Club South Africa, who was second in 1:03:33.
Another South African, Desmond Mokgobu of Entsika Athletics Club finished in third place with 1:03:34.
“I am very happy with this first place,” said Tarakinyu after the race. “It’s my first time to take part in the Two Oceans. I struggled a bit from the 17km and I kept looking at where Elroy was.”
Fortunate Chidzivo of Retail Capital Langa took the women’s 21km race, crossing the finish line in 1:14:49 ahead of Kore Tamiru Gelaye of Nedbank Running Club Ethiopia, who came second in 1:15:14.
Caroline Mhandu of Maxed Elite Zimbabwe completed the podium, crossing the finish line in 1:15:30.
Laura Labuschaigne was the first South African woman home in fourth place with a finishing time of 1:15:39.
“I had stomach cramps and was vomiting last night so to be able to win this is such a pleasure,” said Chidzivo at the end of the race. “This is a dream come true. Every year my wish has always been about stenting on that top podium.”
Gerda sets 56km Ultra Marathon course record on Easter Sunday
South African marathon Olympian Gerda Steyn won a third consecutive TotalSports Two Oceans Marathon title in a course record time of 3:29:45 on Easter Sunday morning in Cape Town.
The 32-year-old from University of Johannesburg Athletics Club became the first athlete in 22 years to claim a hat-trick of victories in the 56km race.
She also became the first woman to dip under three-and-a-half hours, shaving nearly a minute off Frith van der Merwe’s previous course record of 3:30:36.
Irvette Van Zyl of Nedbank Running Club Gauteng North finished second in 3:30:31 while Amelework Fikadu Bosho of Nedbank Running Club Ethiopia was third in 3:34:15.
“The record stays home. I’m really proud and humbled by that,” Steyn said after the race. “It was very tactical. I’ve been focusing on marathons over the past few years so I didn’t always feel so strong, but it worked out.”
Full Results – 2022 TotalSports Two Oceans Half Marathon
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