Athletics
Moeng wins Marathon Champs
2013-02-03 14:15
Johannesburg - Benedict Moeng comfortably won a pedestrian men's race, while Cornelia Joubert came out tops in a closely fought women's battle at the SA Marathon Championships in Oudtshoorn on Sunday.
Moeng crossed the line in an unimpressive time of two hours, 17 minutes, 32 seconds (2:17:32), easily holding off Lucky Mohale by more than two minutes.
Mohale finished second in 2:19:38 and defending champion Coolboy Ngamole, who stepped on the podium for the fourth year in succession, was third in 2:21:39.
Joubert, meanwhile, held off a strong challenge to secure the women's crown in 2:46:13, with the first four women dipping under two hours, 50 minutes.
Kim Laxton bagged the silver medal in 2:47:25 and Melanie van Rooyen clinched bronze in 2:48:35.
The championships were expected to play a significant role in team selection for the World Athletics Championships in Moscow, Russia, in August, but nobody managed to reach the relatively undemanding qualifying standards.
Moeng missed the men's qualifying mark of 2:17:00 by 32 seconds, and Joubert was more than three minutes outside the women's standard of 2:43:00.
Results of the SA Marathon Championships in Oudtshoorn on Sunday:
Men:
1 Benedict Moeng (AGN) 2:17:32, 2 Lucky Mohale (CGA) 2:19:38, 3 Coolboy
Ngamole (CGA) 2:21:39, 4 Anthony Godongwana (AGN) 2:21:49, 5 Othaniel
Phahlane (AGN) 2:22:14, 6 Pule Hlabahlaba (AFS) 2:22:51, 7 Mazolisi
Makhanda (EPA) 2:23:09, 8 Lucky Miya (CGA) 2:23:50, 9 George Ntshiliza
(EPA) 2:24:04, 10 Lucas Raseruthe (CGA) 2:25:00
Women: 1 Cornelia
Joubert (CGA) 2:46:13, 2 Kim Laxton (CGA) 2:47:25, 3 Melanie van Rooyen
(KZNA) 2:48:35, 4 Suzette Botha (KZNA) 2:49:38, 5 Caroline Wostmann
(AGN) 2:53:35, 6 Kerry Koen (KZNA) 2:55:14, 7 Ndofhiwa Mandiwana (AGN)
2:55:45, 8 Kerryn Armstrong (WPA) 3:01:19, 9 Bulelwa Simae (WPA)
3:02:54, 10 Debbie Perry (KZNA) 3:08:49