AI-AIS
The ultra-distance runner, Athanasius Muronga produced the performance of his life when he won the grueling 65-kilometer race of the Windhoek Light Fish River Canyon Marathon in glorious fashion last weekend.
The 2015 Windhoek Light Fish River Ultra Marathon attracted 53 entrants, 13 more athletes than last year, of which five failed to finish the race, despite perfect weather conditions.
The last two finishers made it to Ai-Ais in the wee hours of Sunday morning (02h00), well ahead of the 05h30 cut-off time. Race organiser Thinus Hansen, from African Extreme Promotions, said this was their most successful event to date.
Muronga from Noordoewer, recorded back-to-back titles in the “lite” version of the event in a time of 6 hours 24 minutes, 39.46 seconds, an incredible hour and five minutes faster than his winning time in 2014. He set a new record for the marathon, which started in 2011.
Ingram van Heerden made it a 1-2 for Namibia with a second consecutive second place, finishing in 8 hours 26 minutes, 13 seconds; just over two hours behind Muronga, who looked the strongest runner in the entire field on a day where dry and warm conditions took its toll on the runners.
While the men’s events saw two familiar faces crossing the finish line at Ai-Ais in first place, the women’s categories produced two new winners. In the 100-kilometer event, Cape Town’s Charmaine Salvage produced the run of her life to win in 11 hours 54 minutes, 14 seconds.
The mother of two was just 4 minutes slower than last year’s winning and record time set by Linda Dokes, one of South Africa’s top extreme marathon runners. The 65 kilometer event was won by Great Britain’s Georgina Ayre in 8 hours 45 minutes and 45 seconds.
In the 100 kilometer event South African ultra-marathon specialist, AJ Calitz fell short of his goal to break Ryan Sandes record of 6 hours 57 minutes. Calitz, who won last year’s event, also struggled with the heat and loose sand in the riverbed. He came home in 8 hours 04 minutes 41.60 seconds, 25 seconds slower than his winning time last year.
While disappointed that he could not break Sandes’s record, Calitz was still pleased with his effort. “I would have wanted to break Ryan’s record but I just couldn’t get into my stride today”, he said.
“The heat made it difficult and when I was 25 minutes down on my target at Koedoesdrift I knew it was going to be very difficult to make up time over the last 30 kilometers. But I’m still happy with my performance, this remains one of my favourite events just because of the incredible surroundings we get to do this event in.”