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Zimbabwe: Mambo Shines in Cape Town
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 Published by the government of Zimbabwe |
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The Herald (Harare)
24 March 2008
Posted to the web 24 March 2008
Collin Matiza
Harare
Marko Mambo asserted the claim by Zimbabwean middle and long-distance athletes that they are the best road runners in the Southern African Region when he won the prestigious 56km Old Mutual Two Oceans ultra-marathon in Cape Town, South Africa, on Saturday morning.
Running as if on oiled wheels, Mambo, who won the same event in 2004 and 2005, stormed to victory in the grueling race in 3 hours 11 minutes 35 seconds. Mambo crossed the finish line ahead of two South African runners Mwazenele Maphekula (3:12:30) and Simon Peu (3:13:33), who came second and third.
And as if Mambo's victory on Saturday was not enough for Zimbabwean runners, another top local middle and long-distance runner George Majaji won the half-marathon event, which was run simultaneously with the 56km race, in 63 minutes 31 seconds.
According to reports from Cape Town, windy weather had tongues wagging at Saturday's Old Mutual Two Oceans 56km ultra-marathon around the peninsula.
But comeback kid Mambo still ran off with a financial windfall of R150 000 plus bonuses from his South African club Mr Price.
Not only did he wrest the title back to Zimbabwe after South Africa's Bethuel Netshifhefhe won last year, but he also joined Siphiwe Gqele as only the second three-time winner of the Cape classic, although Gqele won three times on the trot.
Mambo won in 2004 and 2005 and then failed to finish in the next two years.
Zimbabweans Honest Mutsakani won in 2001, Mambo in 2004 and 2005 and Moses Njodzi in 2006.
Proof of the wrecking-ball wind effect was Mambo's winning time of 3:11:35 --- his previous two winning efforts were 3:07:41 and 3:05:39.
"I couldn't actually run to plan today," the likable Mambo, a businessman in Bindura, said after Saturday's race.
"This year I had my best preparation ever, better than when I won in 2004 and 2005. I did less mileage (maximum 150km a week this time) and more quality.
"But the wind messed everything up. Next year I'll be back and I still think I can break the record (3:03:44 by Thomson Magawana in 1988)."
As for the money, Mambo was not overly stressed.
"I'm a businessman so I watch my money carefully," he smiled. "I'll probably put it into my businesses.
Mambo owns two supermarkets, two bottle stores and some taxis.
Saturday's event was run under windy conditions with the notorious Cape Doctor having the final say in the outcome of the 56km Old Mutual Two Oceans ultra-marathon.
At times on the southern part of the course the wind gusted at over 40 km/h which made conditions tough in what was an already tough course.
As it turned out, the relief expected in the turn away from the sea, turned into a battle as the wind continued to gust, even up the tough Constantia Neck climb.
All the usual suspects waited in the bunch for the first sign of any weakness and Phillip Molefe made the mistake of going too early in the blustery conditions.
In the end, 2005 winner Mambo got the jump on the bunch after dropping Molefe in the long run down Chapman's Peak.
Mambo faded and then recovered to show them all a clean pair of heels, finally claiming his third race victory in 3:11:35.
The challenges for the runner-up position came and went with unknown Maphekula snatching second in 3:12:30.
Peu was not considered good enough by his Mr Price to warrant a sponsored trip to the race.
He took great pleasure in proving them wrong by slicing through the field to take third in 3:13:33.
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Defending champion Netshifhefhe looked keen to take up the challenge but he too jumped too quick and by the time the standard marathon mark came around he was slipping backwards through the field.
Former winner Mluleki Nobanda claimed fourth with defending champion Netshifhefhe taking fifth in 3:14:15.
At the pre-race press conference 1996 Olympic gold medallist Josia Thugwane proclaimed he only had his sights set on Thompson Magawana's 1988 record.
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