Despite an impressive list of international athletes, locals and up-country athletes took to the streets in great numbers and
thoroughly enjoyed the exiting atmosphere and cameraderie.
Kenyan David Tumo took line honours in the marathon a time of 2:14.52, and the purse of R60 000 in cold and wet conditions. He was followed by Ethiopian Sufa Chala (2:15.03) and Zimbabwean Gilbert Mutanwiro (2:15.50) respectively.
KwaZulu-Natal's Jenna Challenor (2:41.18) was the first lady home in the marathon, followed by Ethiopian Tiqist Neri (2:45.42) and another Kwazulu-Natal competitor, Tabita Tsatsa (2:47.08). Challenor, a South African IAAF Bronze Label athlete, made her debut at the PetroSA Marathon. The Durban-based athlete recently came second in the Mandela Day 21km race. She is a previous winner of the Pietermaritzburg Spar Weekend Witness Ladies 10km race.
South Cape athlete Eroy Galant ran a wonderful half marathon to finish in a time of 1:02.56.
International athletes, such as Kenya's David Barmasai Tumo, winner of the 2011 Dubai Marathon, participated. He also re-presented Kenya at the 2011 World Marathon Championships in Deagu, South Korea. Tumo is also a Boston Marathon top 10 finisher.
Eritrea's GhirmayTikabo, an IAAF Bronze Label athlete who achieved position three in the 2013 PetroSA Marathon, also competed in the race. The winner of the 2011 Cape Town Marathon, Amos MaiyoMaindi of Kenya, was another contender.
The South African Olympic marathon runner Irvette van Zyl was one of the highlights of the race. Van Zyl is a winner of various races in South Africa. She also represented South Africa at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. She has clocked top 10 finishes in various races that include the London Marathon, Two Oceans Half Marathon and New York City Half Marathon, among others. In August she won the Mandela Day Marathon in Pietermaritzburg in a time 19 minutes faster than the course record.
Comrades Marathon gold medallist Prodigal Khumalo also raced in the PetroSA Marathon. Khumalo, of Zimbabwe, was ninth at the 2014 Comrades Marathon and has won at every distance from 3 000m track to Marathon distance.
A host of other athletes from countries such as Tanzania, Ethiopia, Lesotho and local top performers such as LJ van Zyl,
LindileTokota and Lloyd Bosman have also entered the race.
The PetroSA Marathon has recently also received accreditation from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and Association for International Marathon Standards(AIMS).
The accreditation means athletes can use the PetroSA Marathon as a stage to qualify for other international race meetings.
Click here for a photo gallery.
Mr Russel Mamabola (PetroSA), Mr Moses, (ASWD) and Mr Thabo Mabaso (company spokesman PetroSA) cheer on the participants at the start of the PetroSA Marathon on 27 September.Photo: Tersia Marais
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