Mokoka, Kalmer retain titles

Johannesburg - Olympic marathon runners Stephen Mokoka and Rene Kalmer successfully defended their South African half-marathon titles in Cape Town on Sunday.

Kalmer, who won the Spar Women's 10km Challenge in 34 minutes, 50 seconds (34:50) in Pretoria on Saturday, shrugged off a niggling foot injury to win the women's race in one hour, 14 minutes, 40 seconds (1:14:40), bagging a spectacular weekend double.

A multiple national champion over a wide range of distances on the road and the track, 31-year-old Kalmer held off a challenge from her younger sister, Christine, who finished second in 1:15:23. Nolene Conrad secured third place in 1:16:13.

Mokoka, meanwhile, set a personal best to win the men's race in 1:00.57.

The verstaile 27-year-old edged Lucky Mohale by 11 seconds for the victory.

Mohale took the silver medal in 1:01.08 and Gladwin Mzazi bagged bronze in 1:01.38.