Posted: April 7, 2006

Athletics: Mambo & Nurgalieva To Defend Two Oceans Titles

From David Monti

© 2006 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

By Riel Hauman

Seventeen of last year's twenty gold medalists (top-10 finishers) have entered for the 2006 Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon presented by Nike. The 37th running of the 56 km ultramarathon will take place on Easter Saturday, April 15, in Cape Town. Almost 8000 runners will line up to pit their strength against the two big hills on the course, Chapman's Peak and Constantia Nek. The half-marathon, run at the same time, has drawn a record field of close to 10,000 competitors.

Both 2005 winners, Marco Mambo (ZIM) and Elena Nurgalieva (RUS) will defend their titles. After running five South African ultras together, for the first time Nurgalieva will be without the companionship of twin sister Olesya, who will run the BAA Boston Marathon on April 17.

The two other gold medal winners who will not return are Azwindini Lukhwareni, who is serving a drugs suspension, and Comrades winner Tatiana Zhirkova (RUS), who did enter but has subsequently withdrawn. All ten male gold medalists will run.

Returning to the race after a one-year absence is Simona Staicu (HUN), who in 2003 won on her debut in 3:37:32, the second fastest ever. Staicu finished a disappointing fourth in 2004 and is certain to go all out to make amends for that. Just two weeks before the Two Oceans she finished third in the Prague Half-Marathon after winning the City-Pier-City Half Marathon in 72:49.

Also returning is another former winner, versatile Gwen van Lingen, now 38, who won in 2001 and was second in 2002. Earlier this year she prepared by winning the Newlands Marathon in 2:55:39.

The South African challenge will no doubt be led by Capetonian Farwa Mentoor, who has been the first SA finisher in the Comrades ultramarathon for the past four years. In last year’s Two Oceans Mentoor was sixth when Lukhwareni finished fourth behind the Nurgalieva twins and Marina Bychkova (RUS). Bychkova will also run, as will her compatriot Marina Myshlyanova – who is contesting the Two Oceans for the first time. Myshlyanova was sixth in last year's Comrades, one place behind Bychkova.

Other top contenders are Sarah Mahlangu (winner in 2000), Riana van Niekerk (winner of the Arthur Creswell 52 km and fifth in the SA Marathon in 2006), Yolande Maclean (third South African in 2005), and SA marathon champion Louisa Leballo.

Among the men Mambo will start as the favourite; he has an excellent chance to become the first man since Simphiwe Gqele in 1985 to win three times in a row. Like Staicu, Mambo won the race on his debut in 2004, running a superb 3:07:41. In 2005 he improved to 3:05:39, a time bettered only by Thompson Magawana (twice) and Johnny Halberstadt.

There has been much talk about whether this will be the year in which Magawana's incredible record of 3:03:44, set as long ago as 1988, will finally fall. One athlete who will most likely play his part in the chase is 1996 Olympic champion Josiah Thugwane. Thugwane, whose marathon career has been rather spotty since Atlanta (he has failed to finish twelve marathons), made an auspicious ultra debut in the Loskop 50 km last year. He won in 2:44:03 to become the second fastest South African over the distance – albeit on a downhill course. Just a month later he unwisely attempted the Vienna Marathon and failed to finish, and last December he abruptly dropped out of the Honolulu Marathon in only the 8th mile when he blacked out and had to be taken to the hospital.

But Mambo and Thugwane are not the only big fish in the pond. Sipho Ngomane was second last year and then went on to win the Comrades, while Graham Malinga grabbed third in his first Two Oceans. He has had a low-key preparation and has the credentials to challenge the best.

And then there is Luketz Swartbooi. The 40-year-old Namibian, who in 1993 finished second behind Mark Plaatjes in the World Championships Marathon, is probably not strong enough to win, but has had a remarkable 2006 so far, winning the Peninsula Marathon in 2:16:12 and running a 66:16 half marathon. Swartbooi has been second and third before and was fourth last year and no one will be surprised if he gains another gold. With Vladimir Kotov (BLR) not running, he is a clinch for the veteran (masters) title.

The other gold medalists who are returning are Brian Zondi (5th), Kasirai Sita (ZIM, 6th), 2002 winner Hlonepha Mphulanyane (7th), 2001 winner Honest Mutsakani (ZIM, 8th), Harmans Mokgadi (9th) and Moses Njodzi (ZIM, 10th).

The two races will have the biggest international contingent in its history – 642 in the ultra and 638 in the half marathon. Sixty runners will celebreate their birthday on race day, among them Thugwane (who turns 35).

The biggest name in the half-marathon is newly crowned Commonwealth Games marathon champion Kerryn McCann (38) from Australia.

The ultramarathon will start at 07:00, an hour later than in the past – a controversial decision which has caused much unhappiness among runners who fear that hot conditions could slow their times. A new medal for finishing between 4 and 5 hours has been introduced and named for race director Chet Sainsbury, who will be in charge for the 26th year (and run his 25th Two Oceans), and wife Annemarie, a former race administrator. Sainsbury finished in 5:08:18 last year and said he is aiming for the Sainsbury medal.

First prize for both men and women is R150,000 (USD 25,000), with prizemoney going down to R5000 (USD 800) for tenth. The incentive for breaking either course record (the women’s record if Frith van der Merwe’s 3:30:36) is R25,000 ($4100) plus a 10-ounce gold investment bar valued at R25,000.

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