Women to light up City to City

The women's race in Sunday's City to City Heritage Marathon just got a whole lot more interesting.

With the formidable barefoot sensation Gladys Lukhwareni out of the picture, a bunch of other prospects are in with a chance of bagging the R10 000 first prize.

Topping that list are Harmony's defending champion Paulinah Phaho and Comrades gold medallist Yolande Maclean of Mr Price.

Maclean has described Sunday's outing as more of a "test run" after starting a new training programme under coach John Hamlet.

"I will be taking it easy and just see what happens towards the end," she said on Friday.

"I'm quite excited though because I don't really know what to expect. Before this I've never had a coach so it will be interesting to see if what we have been doing for the last nine weeks has made me stronger and a better runner," added the 27-year-old athlete who will be running her first City to City marathon.

Maclean is also likely to get some tough competition from Liberty's duo of Sarah-Jane Kumalo and Sarah Mahlangu.

As for not having Lukhwareni in the pack, Maclean reckoned: "I don't actually mind either way. But it would have been nice if she was there because it would have been a tough race."

Explaining Lukhwareni's absence, Harmony manager Nick Bester said: "There are a couple of international races that she has been invited to and a 50km race stays in your legs for a while so she can't afford to run the City to City.

"We didn't actually want her to run so many ultra-marathons. She will be running in a half marathon in New Delhi in the middle of October and then the Frankfurt marathon at the end of October.

"It's the same with (this year's Comrades winner) Sipho Ngomane - he was very keen to run City to City but he is still very young and he should rather rest otherwise he risks messing himself up with too many ultras. He will be running in the 20km race though."

Last year's men's winner Themba Lamane and runner up Isaac Moyahabo Malatji, both from Liberty Nike, are likely to be up there with the likes of Philip Molefe, Simon Peu, Hermans Mokgadi and Graham Malinga as well as Zimbabweans Tsungai Mwanengeni, Oliver Kandiero and Kingston Maringe.

"Joseph Masuku will also be one to watch," reckoned Bester.

"He broke the Om die Dam record this year in March and I think the two races are quite similar.

"They are both 50km, he'll be running in heat like he did that day and both courses are quite hilly. So there are similar conditions and I think he will do well."

The race will be screened live on SABC2 from 6am.