Local athletes are gearing up to take part in the Nelson Mandela Bay 1 City Marathon and 21km at the Fairview racecourse in Greenbushes on Saturday, 2 December.
Last year the marathon event attracted over 1500 eager runners and this year a strong turnout is expected with the introduction of pacing buses for the marathon.
There will be dedicated pacemaker, up to 35km, for athletes wishing to run their personal best times.
Local athletes will have the opportunity to be led by the best in the country with national champions Thabang Mosiako, Melikaya Frans and Simon Sibeko leading the sub 2h30min bus.
Athletes will be able to pick a bus that suits their race finish time goal, with pacing buses also arranged for sub 3hr, sub 4hr, sub 4h30min, sub 4h50min and sub 5hr, the qualifying finish time for Comrades Marathon.
Siyabonga Honi, will lead the sub 3hr bus, Mkhululi Jack will lead the sub 4hr bus, Jabulani Dube will lead the sub 4hr30 bus, Mkokeli Malghas will lead the sub 4hr50 bus.
The only two female bus pacers, Nosita Nqwataand and Olwethu Bomvana will lead the sub 5hr bus.
“It is always a comfort for athletes to know that they can rely on someone else to keep the pace, and luckily in Gqeberha we have high quality elite pacers who are in training and have agreed to assist anyone who wants to finish below 2h30min on race day,” said Ikhamva Athletics club coach and race director, Mike Mbambani.
“Athletes will be competing on a very fast World Athletics-certified route which starts and finishes at Fairview racecourse in Greenbushes.
“We are expecting new personal best times and good seedings,” said an excited Mbambani.
Local evergreen athletes, Margie Saunders and Desmond Zibi are both participating in this event.
Desmond, who runs for Ikhamva athletics club, is competing in the NMB 1City Marathon and hopes for a strong finish in his age group of 60-69 years.
Margie Saunders, who runs for Nedbank running club, is competing in the 21km and is keen to break the SA Half Marathon 21.1km record which is 1.46 for her age category, 70+ years.
“I have two goals, I would love to break the SA 21km record and it would be really nice to go under the world record which is 1.37, but I have only just upped my mileage so I will have to see how I feel and what the weather looks like and see how I do in this race,” added Margie.
Last year Zimbabwean athlete, Winfred Mutiro, led from the start, and held a face pace of 3min 20 secs for the first 35km, only slowing slightly in the last 7km when faced with a strong headwind to finish in a time of 2.22.03.
Anna Moeketsi, of Mr Price Free State, was the first woman home with a strong lead in 3.03.57.
Yanga Malusi, of Boxer athletics club won the NMB 2 City 21km last year in 1.07.59, with local favourite, Ntombezintu Mfunzi, running for Nedbank, finishing first in the 21km in a time of 1.22.46.
Thanks to the support of the Nelson Mandela Municipality and their well-established Legacy Project sponsorship, the male and female marathon winners will pocket R12 500 cash each, from a total prize purse of over R128 000 for all marathon and half marathon age category winners.
MMC Bassie Kamana, responsible for Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts & Culture endorsed the event and his support of the athletes.
“NMB 1 City Marathon is an EPA League event and the only marathon on the EP Athletics calendar to qualify for Two Oceans and Comrades marathon, but more importantly this event fits the City’s agenda to establish Gqeberha as the sporting destination of choice in the country and successful events like this marathon prepares our city to host international events.”
Both the 42.2km marathon and the 21.1km, presented by Eastern Province Athletics in partnership with Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, will start and finish at the Fairview Racecourse, in Draaifontein Road, Greenbushes, Port Elizabeth.
The scenic route follows a circular route via Tembani, Westlands and Seaview Roads with an out and back loop into Lakeside road and back via Altona road. The two distances split at 18km, thereafter the 21km route takes a left into Draaifontein Road towards the finish, and the marathon turns right to do an out and back loop into Cape Road.
The 1City Marathon organisers are inviting Clubs to bring their Gazebos to the venue to support their athletes at the event, with a festive atmosphere planned for the finish inside the Fairview racecourse fields.
Entry fee for the marathon is R240, however, EPA-registered participants 60 and over will pay R120. 21.1km fee is R160, EPA-registered participants 60 and over will pay R80. The temporary license is R40.
Enter online on www.webtickets.co.za before 22.00 on Tuesday, 28 November or entries can be submitted at Brian Bands Sports and Sportsmans Warehouse in Gqeberha or UD Sports in Kariega before Wednesday, 29 November.
Collection of race numbers and late entries will be available from EP Athletics offices, Westbourne Oval, Westbourne Road, Central from 12.00 to 19.00 on Friday, 1 December. Only race number collection will be allowed on race day at Fairview Racecourse from 04h30 until 05h30, but no late entries will be accepted.
Electronic timing will be done by Mobiielite and results will be available online and on the EPA website.