Jenet Mbhele, who won the women’s championship in this 56km distance race, will use the Zululand District Ultra Marathon prize to buy a car for herself, walking away with R100 000.
Mbhele who runs for Mzimkhulu Striders won the Zululand Marathon with a time of 4:9:51, second was Gladys Jephirchir from Kenya from Nedbank Running Club with 4:34:07, he received a cash prize of R50 000, third was Fikile Mbuthuma also from Nedbank Club with 4:35:40, he received a cash prize of R25 000.
For men, Siyamthanda Bazane of Nedbank took the bronze in 3:24:37, second was Mholi Jali also of Nedbank in 3:30:42, third was Siboniso Sikhakhane of Entsika Athletics Club in 3:36:01. Bazane also won R100 000, Jali received R50 000, Sikhakhane R25 000.
This exciting race is coming back this year as it was last run in 2019, it was run yesterday from Lundi Airport, and ended at Bhekuzulu High School, KwaNongoma.
“I was running this race for the first time but you gave me the test I needed as it has uphill and steep sections so my preparations for Comrades are going according to plan. My main goal is to enter the first ten in Comrades,” said Mbhele from White City, Mzimkhulu.
“I want to use the money I got for winning this race to buy a car because I’m tired of traveling by taxi.”
Mbhele is preparing for the 87km Comrades Marathon to be run on June 14, from Durban to Pietermaritzburg. She is the black female runner who has managed to win three gold medals at the Comrades, and has the chance to win a fourth this year if she is able to enter the top ten. Bazane said it means a lot to him to win this race because he did not think he would win it, especially since he was running it for the first time.
“I didn’t think I would win this race, I was just running for myself even though I had trained well and felt that I was losing. I am looking forward to running in the Comrades and I am determined to do better this year as last year I did not do well,” said Bazane, who is from Lusikisiki.
The Mayor of Zululand, Mr. Michael “Mkhonyovu” Khumalo, was impressed by the level of this race and promised a better level next year.
“Next year we want to see the level rise and the prizes increase. We congratulate the winners, but I challenge them and the runners from this Zululand region to do well in this race. What we wish now is that the runners who won Zululand come and win the Comrades because this is a race that helps the runners to prepare for the Comrades.”