NEWS
RELEASE
Seasoned
athlete takes his first Ultra win
Middelburg, 19 April
2008. While the Forever Resorts Loskop Marathon
has typically been an event that has brought new talent
to the road running fraternity, this year’s
winner, Harmans Mokgadi (Nedbank AC) took his
first big win after three failed attempts for gold in
his Comrades Marathon and Two Oceans campaigns.
Mokgadi came third in the 2007
Forever Resorts Loskop Marathon.
Mokgadi was planning
to use the Forever Resorts Loskop Marathon
as a training run but when he reached the 35km
mark he felt that he could possibly take the
title. At this point his third position gap looked to
large to make it a win, but at the 49km mark he saw
teammate, Nikky Masombuka battling and took the lead.
Mokgadi won the 2008 Forever Resorts Loskop
Marathon in a time of 2:51:42.
Masombuka finished his race in a time of 2:53:
12. Close behind him in third position was
Samuel Makamu of Nelspruit Marathon Club
who finished in a time of 2:53:18.
The ladies race was
a clear and outright win for Muchaneta Gwata
of Zimbabwe, running for Mr Price, who held
her firm lead from the 2km mark. Gwata finished in a
time of 3: 31:37, Kenyan athlete, Jennifer
Koech of Nedbank Marathon Club finished in
a time of 3:40:43. Third place went
to veteran and Comrades gold medallist, Grace
de Oliveira (3:42:48).
Over 3 500 athletes
lined up for the start of the Forever Resorts
Loskop Marathon in Middelburg, Mpumalanga.
It was an equally exciting
day in the Forever Resorts Wild Challenge
which grew by 30% in 2008 with over 1 500 athletes making
their way along the scenic ‘wild’ route.
“It really was
a fantastic day for road running in South Africa. It
is great to see so many athletes choosing to participate
in both events in the Forever Resorts Loskop Marathon
Series and, of course to see new winners making it onto
the prizegiving podium,” concluded Hein
Koch, race director.
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