Posted on May 24, 2009 under Comrades Marathon |
33 year-old Stephen Muzhingi from Zimbabwe won the 2009 Comrades Marathon in time of 5:23:27. Second place Leonid Shvetsov of Russia in 5:33:10 and third place Charles Tjiane in 5:34:21. Stephen Muzhingi reached 3rd place in last years 2008 Comrades.
Muzhingi said he realised he could tell he was in stronger shape when he passed defending champion and record holder, Leonid Shvetsov, and knew then that he could win.
“Coming into the race, my only aim was to run sub 5:30. When I was about 100 metres behind Leonid, I started to relax but when I caught him, I knew I had the race.”
Muzhingi said he hadn’t thought about the 5:20:41 record, set by Shvetsov in 2007, but about three kilometres from the finish, spectators told him he had a chance to go for it, so he ran faster. However, by then it was too late but his time of 5:23:27 is the second best time ever for a Comrades Marathon!
Olesya Nurgalieva won the 2009 women’s Comrades Marathon in 6:12.12. Her twin sister, Elena Nurgalieva, who finished first in 2008, came second in 6:13.14 followed by another Russian, Tatyana Zhirkova in 6:15:03.
| Pos |
Name |
RaceNo |
Country |
Gender |
Time |
| 1 |
Stephen Muzhingi |
55925 |
Zimbabwe |
Male |
05:23:27 |
| 2 |
Leonid Shvetsov |
49670 |
Russia |
Male |
05:33:10 |
| 3 |
Charles Tjiane |
56834 |
South Africa |
Male |
05:34:21 |
| 4 |
Fusi Nhlapo |
14084 |
South Africa |
Male |
05:36:17 |
| 5 |
Lucas Nonyana |
52634 |
South Africa |
Male |
05:39:29 |
| 6 |
Mncedisi Mkhize |
27026 |
South Africa |
Male |
05:41:14 |
| 7 |
Bongmusa Mthembu |
31020 |
South Africa |
Male |
05:41:52 |
| 8 |
Peter Molapo |
32757 |
South Africa |
Male |
05:42:25 |
| 9 |
BethuelNetshifhefhe |
28689 |
South Africa |
Male |
05:43:35 |
| 10 |
Harmans Mokgadi |
47411 |
South Africa |
Male |
05:44:49 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Pos |
Name |
RaceNo |
Country |
Gender |
Time |
| 1 |
Olesya Nurgalieva |
19988 |
Russia |
Female |
06:12:12 |
| 2 |
Elena Nurgalieva |
19987 |
Russia |
Female |
06:13:14 |
| 3 |
Tatyana Zhirkova |
19986 |
Russia |
Female |
06:15:03 |
| 4 |
Marina Myshlyanova |
56699 |
Russia |
Female |
06:30:42 |
| 5 |
Farwa Mentoor |
25609 |
South Africa |
Female |
06:45:33 |
| 6 |
Lesley Train |
47434 |
South Africa |
Female |
07:01:07 |
| 7 |
Marina Bychkova |
39390 |
Russia |
Female |
07:03:24 |
| 8 |
Lindsay Van Aswegen |
11096 |
South Africa |
Female |
07:08:55 |
| 9 |
Belinda Waghorn |
39498 |
South Africa |
Female |
07:09:36 |
| 10 |
Kashmira Parbhoo |
20171 |
South Africa |
Female |
07:16:13 |
Congratulations to all finishers from runner.co.za!
Posted on May 24, 2009 under Comrades Marathon |
33 year-old Zimbabwean Stephen Muzhingi won this years Comrades Marathon from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, in 5:23:27, the second fastest time in history today.
Second place goes to last years Comrades Winner Leonid Shvetsov of Russia in 5:33:10 and third place Charles Tjiane in 5:34:21.
The team from Runner.co.za congratulates Stephen Muzhingi for breaking Russian domination of the men’s race!
More coverage and a 2009 Comrades result overview will follow later today.
Posted on Apr 14, 2009 under Two Oceans Marathon |
Foreigners once again dominated the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town on Saturday, with John Wachira of Kenya and Elena Nurgalieva of Russia claiming the men’s and women’s wins respectively in the 56-kilometre ultra-marathon.
Zimbabwe’s Marco Mambo, after wins in 2004, 2005, and 2008, was the man to watch, with his previous record of success. His win in 2008 was the fourth in five years for Zimbabweans; Moses Njodzi won in 2006, while Bethuel Netshifhefhe won for South Africa in 2007.
Like a wise veteran
Wachira, meanwhile, was contesting the Two Oceans Marathon for the first time, but the man from the famed Rift Valley, ran the race like a wise veteran, timing his run perfectly to catch Mambo near the end and pass him with the finish in sight.
He crossed the finishing line in three hours, 10 minutes and six seconds, with Mambo in second place 46 seconds behind him. Third place went to Mpesela Ntlotsoeu. Butiki Jantjies, in sixth, led the South African challenge.
The Nurgalieva twins were the hot favourites to win the women’s race. Elena had previously won it twice, in 2004 and 2005, while Olesya’s win in 2008 was in the second fastest time ever recorded in the race, 3:34:53, trailing only the record set by Frith van der Merwe in 1989 of 3:30:36.
Comfortable and enjoyable
Running together, the sisters ran what they described as their most comfortable and enjoyable Two Oceans ever.
They finished in 3:40:43, their slowest time yet in the event, but enough for a huge margin of 18 minutes over third placed Samukeliso Moyo of Zimbabwe.
Maybe they were saving something for the Comrades Marathon, which has been moved forward this year so as not to clash with the Fifa Confederations Cup. It takes place on 24 May.
While the Nurgalieva twins opted to contest the Two Oceans Marathons, a number of other leading runners chose to skip it because of the limited five-week break between the country’s two leading ultra-marathons.
SA’s best
South Africa’s best performer was Farwa Mentoor, who claimed fourth place in 15 seconds less than four hours, while Adinda Kruger ended fifth in 4:03:36.
Mentoor has been South Africa’s most consistent ultra-marathon performer for many years now. Before Riana van Niekerk finished sixth in the 2008 Comrades Marathon, two places ahead of her, Mentoor had been South Africa’s leading runner for six consecutive years.
Stephen Mokoka was the sole South African to be crowned champion. He captured line honours in the men’s half-marathon, finishing eight seconds ahead of runner-up Wirimai Juwawo in 63:42. Lusapho April was third in 63:55.
Namibia’s Helaria Johannes won the women’s half-marathon in 73:34. Over two minutes behind her, Mamarolla Tjoka claimed second place, with Tabitha Tsatsa in third. Annerien van Schalkwyk, in fourth, was the leading South African.
RESULTS
MEN 56-KILOMETRE ULTRA
1. John Wachira 3:10:06, 2. Marco Mambo 3:10:52, 3. Mpesela Ntlotsoeu 3:11:56, 4. Stephen Muzhingi 3:12:05, 5. Henry Moyo 3:12:23, 6. Butiki Jantjies 3:13:53, 7. Modibe Mamabolo 3:14:43, 8. Lephetesang Adora 3:15:48, 9. Melikhaya Sithuba 3:16:40, 10. Sipho Ncube 3:17:11
WOMEN 56-KILOMETRE ULTRA
1. Elena Nurgalieva 3:40:43, 2. Olesya Nurgalieva 3:40:43, 3. Samukeliso Moyo 3:58:47, 4. Farwa Mentoor 3:59:45, 5. Adinda Kruger 4:03:36, 6. Suzette Botha 4:05:28, 7. Joanna Thomas 4:08:41, 8. Jane Madau 4:10:06, 9. Ursula Frans 4:10:35, 10. Maya Lawrie 4:13:12
MEN HALF-MARATHON
1. Stephen Mokoka 63:42, 2. Wirimai Juwawo 63:50, 3. Lusapho April 63:55, 4. Enos Matalane 64:14, 5. Elmore Sibanda 65:02, 6. Tshamano Setone 65:08, 7. Lindikhaya Mthangayi 65:15, 8. Boy Soke 65:18, 9. Samuel Pazanga 65:24, 10. Zolani Ntongana 65:27
WOMEN HALF-MARATHON
1. Helaria Johannes 73:34, 2. Mamarolla Tjoka 75:43, 3. Tabitha Tsatsa 77:10, 4. Annerien van Schalkwyk 77:23, 5. Kim Laxton 78:43, 6. Jenna Chellenor 79:22, 7. Ronel Thomas 80:08, 8. Ntombesintu Ntshiliza 80:24, 9. Alae Brand 80:24, 10. Janene Carey 80:41
Posted on Jun 15, 2008 under Comrades Marathon |
Leonid Shvetsov raced into the Comrades Marathon record books this morning after a second successive victory in the world’s most important ultramarathon road race. The tall Russian smashed Vladimir Kotov’s eight-year-old ”up” run record by 47 seconds, coming home in 5:24:46 and beating second-placed Jaroslav Janicki by an incredible 13:41, one of the largest victory margins in recent Comrades history. This means that Shvetsov becomes the first man since Bruce Fordyce to win in both directions and to own both records.
Top 10 Men
| Pos |
Name |
RaceNo |
Country |
Time |
| 1 |
Leonid Shvetsov |
49670 |
Russian |
05:24:47 |
| 2 |
Jaroslaw Janicki |
4889 |
Poland |
05:38:29 |
| 3 |
Stephen Muzhingi |
55925 |
Zimbabwe |
05:39:40 |
| 4 |
Oleg Kharitonov |
49673 |
Russian |
05:42:03 |
| 5 |
Grigory Murzin |
39356 |
Russian |
05:43:07 |
| 6 |
Harmans Mokgadi |
47411 |
South Africa |
05:47:10 |
| 7 |
Mncedisi Mkhize |
27026 |
South Africa |
05:48:18 |
| 8 |
Vladimir Kotov |
39358 |
South Africa |
05:48:42 |
| 9 |
Johan Oosthuizen |
37904 |
South Africa |
05:50:52 |
| 10 |
Willie Mtolo |
1119 |
South Africa |
05:53:36 |
After the race, Shvetsov said that his race plan had gone perfectly, but that the record had never been certain. ”Last year I knew from a long way out that the record was in the bag, but this time it was touch and go.” He takes home R220 000 for the win and R250 000 for the new record.
Janicki continued with his fine Comrades record after his second place finish. The quiet Pole now has 5 gold medals in his cupboard, including a single win, back in 1999.
Zimbabwean Stephen Muzhuingi was third, with the prize for the first South African going to Harmans Mokgadi of Nedbank, winner of the Forever Resorts Loskop Marathon earlier this year. Mokgadi was 6th. Two sentimental favourites scored gold medals as well. 50-year-old Vladimir Kotov, who saw his course record evaporate while he was still out on the road, received some consolation with his 8th place, while Willie Mtolo, who finished 2nd way back in 1989, grabbed the final gold medal, much to the delight of the local Comrades fans.
Top 10 Women
| Pos |
Name |
RaceNo |
Country |
Time |
| 1 |
Elena Nurgalieva |
19987 |
Russian |
06:14:37 |
| 2 |
Olesya Nurgalieva |
19988 |
Russian |
06:15:52 |
| 3 |
Tatyana Zhirkova |
19986 |
Russian |
06:17:45 |
| 4 |
Marina Myshlyanova |
56699 |
Russian |
06:30:49 |
| 5 |
Marina Bychkova |
39390 |
Russian |
06:38:01 |
| 6 |
Riana Van Niekerk |
50678 |
South Africa |
06:43:31 |
| 7 |
Maria Bak |
4104 |
Germany |
06:53:32 |
| 8 |
Farwa Mentoor |
25609 |
South Africa |
06:59:40 |
| 9 |
Lesley Train |
47434 |
South Africa |
07:02:08 |
| 10 |
Carol Mercer |
34204 |
South Africa |
07:09:37 |
The Russian juggernaul continued in the women’s race. Once again the Nurgalieva twins dominated, with Elena collecting her third straight ”up” run victory. But this time it was not a record, with the finishing time of 6:14:36 being some 5 minutes outside the mark she herself set up two years ago. Twin sister Olesya came home 1:15 behind, while Tatyana Zhirkova grabbed 3rd spot in 6:17:44.
Marina Myshlyanova (6:30:48) and Marina Bychkova (6:38:00) compled the Russian domination of the women’s competition. This was Bychkova’s 8th gold medal in the race.
Top South African home was Pretoria’s Riana van Niekerk (6:43:30), who ended Farwa Mentoor’s long domination of this category. Mentoor was 8th in 6:59:39, while the ageless Maria Bak once again collected gold in 6:53:31 (7th).
11,192: total number of entries; 8,613: total number of finishers
