Tembinkosi is SAbackyard champ

MOSSEL BAY SPORTS NEWS - Mossel Bay resident Tembinkosi Sojola is the South African Backyard Ultra Champion of 2022.

On the weekend of 15 and 16 October, he ran 31 laps in 33 hours to complete 207 886km, winning the Ultra Race at the Taroko Trail Park in Johannesburg.

Explaining the concept of a backyard race, Sojola says: "It is a last man standing competition. The first such marathon took place in a backyard in Tennessee.

"You run a lap that is 6.7km long. It is done in a trail running space. The lap starts and finishes at the same point.

"You have an hour to do the lap. For example, you run 6.7km in 50 minutes, then you have 10 minutes to rest and then you do the same in the next hour, until you are the last man standing.

"When there is one person left in the race, the person is required to complete the last lap alone to finish and win the race.

"When you feel you have really had enough, you ring the bell and quit."

He qualifies for the Big Dog Ultra, taking place in Tennessee in 2023, where he will be representing South Africa and aiming to be a world champion.

Sojola says about his race on the weekend: "The running was not a problem; it was the heat - above 30 degrees Celsius. Sunday was especially hot. There were 15 competitors and most of us had won a backyard challenge in South Africa before."

Tembinkosi Sojola (left) during the race.