By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Image Supplied.
South Africa’s Stephen Mokoka, who had never run a 50km race before, broke the world record on home soil in Gqeberha on Sunday.
The 37-year-old won the Nedbank Runified 50km (31 miles) in Gqeberha in two hours 40 minutes 13 seconds, beating the time of 2:42:07 set by Ethiopia’s Ketema Negasa last year.
Mokoka competed in the marathon at the 2012 and 2020 Olympics and 10,000m at the 2016 Olympics.
Mokoka’s compatriots, Tete Dijana (2:44:08) and former Comrades Marathon winner Edward Mothibi (2:45:27) finished second and third respectively.
“Some of these other guys usually run longer stuff, so I was asking questions during the race: ‘Am I still ok? Do I have to push?’,” Mokoka said after his first attempt beyond the standard 42km marathon distance.
“He (Mothibi) is an experienced guy, but I’m still young as an ultra-distance runner, so I turned to him to make sure the pace was good.”
While he was pleased with his result, Mokoka said it might be some time before he extends himself further than 42km again.
Mokoka, who has broken multiple national records over shorter distances, is expected to lead the SA marathon team at this year’s World Athletics Championships in Eugene, in the build-up to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
“I still have a dream to run two more World Championships and another Olympics,” Mokoka said, “So no, I don’t have plans to do another ultra any time soon.”
In the women’s race on Sunday – a World Athletics Label event – Amelework Bosho took the win in 4:04:58, just 34 seconds outside the world record (3:04:24) held by SA’s Irvette van Zyl.
“Following the success of the first ultramarathon in 2021 and after months of planning, I put my neck out on the line to say that we would break a record for the second time, and that’s exactly what we did today,” says race Director and Nedbank Running Club National Manager, Nick Bester. “We took the learnings from last year and ticked every box to make sure that all procedures and rules have been adhered to in order for our race to meet World Athletics standards.”
Kenyan athlete Shelmith Muriuki finished second in the women’s race in 3:08:30 and Van Zyl was third in 3:13:23.
Meanwhile, double Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge won on his Tokyo Marathon debut in 2:02:40, while fellow Kenyan world record holder Brigid Kosgei won the women’s race in 2:16:02.