The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
THE Comrades Marathon on today has grown to be one of the most prestigious races in the world for its gruelling and arduous course and has seen many in the athletics fray seeking to take part in the race not to win it but just to complete the race.
The 89km race has attracted thousands of runners since inception in 1921 and many more have set the target of running the marathon once in their lives.
Local amateur athlete, Stanley Sibanda has joined those wanting to go down in history as having taken part in the most gruelling and taxing race across Africa having taken part in the Comrades last year.
Not being satisfied with the time he took to finish the race last year, Sibanda (46) decided to make a return to KwaZulu Natal for the competition whose 2018 edition takes place today, starting from Pietermaritzburg ending in the port city of Durban.
Sibanda said he last year took nine hours to complete the 89km but this year he is looking at reducing that amount by an hour or two.
“Last year it was an up run meaning the course was uphill, starting in Durban with the finish point in Maritzburg. This year however, it is a down run with the starting and finishing points being swapped.
“As the course is a descent I have set myself a target of between seven and eight hours to reach the finish point. I believe it is something achievable and I have been training hard since last year to meet my target,” he said.
Sibanda qualified for the Comrades after completing the Johnson Crane Marathon in two hours 45 minutes in January this year.
According to the Comrades race director, Rowyn James: “The officially measured and certified distance for this year’s 2018 Down Run is 90,184km,” following an alteration in the previous down run route of 2016 which was 89,208km.
He revealed he only started athletics three years ago and has been taking part in several local races such as PCC Matopos 33 Miler and Old Mutual Nkulumane Half Marathon. Sibanda said he started running as a part of an exercise regime to keep fit and healthy as he was already taking to the gym.
“I used to play football for Shabanie Mine together with the likes of Asani Juma and Thomas Makwasha. I also featured for Mimosa (FC Platinum) in its formative years in 2007 but I decided to hang up my boots the following year as I focused on my sales career. I was a left back,” he said, adding he is a salesman at SKF Zimbabwe.
Sibanda said he is looking forward to the thrill of taking part in the world’s largest and oldest ultra marathon race.
He said being part of the 20 000 runners expected to take part in the race is a great experience in itself but his focus will be reducing his finish time.
Stephen Muzhingi is the most successful Zimbabwean long distance runner at the Comrades having won the race on three occasions consecutively from 2009 and he is set to have another charge at to win it this year together with compatriots Andrew Chimbidzikai, Mike Fokoroni, Hatiwande Nyamande, who finished second last year and Prodigal Khumalo who took position eight last year.
Last year the men’s race was won by South African, Bongmusa Mthembu in a time of five hours, 35,34 minutes while in the ladies’ section, United States’ Camille Herron crossed the finish line in six hours 27,35 minutes.
