Two Oceans half marathon winner Kaptein sets sail for Olympic dream

Two Oceans half marathon winner William Kaptein has set his sights on qualifying for the next Olympic Games.

Running in the colours of the Langa Athletics Club in the 21km run, Kaptein etched his name into the record book of the race to become the first local athlete to win the Two Oceans half marathon since Makhosonke Fika clinched the inaugural event 1998.

The Lansdowne resident entered the home straight at the finish at UCTs Green Mile saluting the crowd on the beat of Kurt Darren’s hit song Kaptein to crown a memorable occasion for an athlete who has gone through some rough patches over the past few years.

The 32-year-old road runner, originally from Robertson, finished in a time of 01hr04min41sec over a course which was shortened by 500m (20.6 km) due to the prevailing hot conditions.

He asserted himself from as early as the 4km mark to hold off a fierce challenge from the national half-marathon champion, Bennett Seloyi, who finished second, while Lesotho's Namakoe Nhasi ended third.

With the Two Oceans title in the bag after five previous attempts, Kaptein will make a bid for the upcoming ABSA 10km in Cape Town on Sunday May 11.

“Look I guess I will savor the moment of winning the half marathon and then turn my attention to the ABSA series where I hope to go under 29 minutes. This victory has given me renewed energy and hope, but I also have a long-term goal and that is to qualify for the marathon at the 2028 Olympic Games in America.  

“I was out for a long time, due to personal issues and circumstances. But I was so confident that I was going to win because I was so ready. I felt that I had trained enough, and I just knew I would win.  As early as the 4km mark I decided to go for it and here I am. I’m so delighted,” said Kaptein.

He added that he enjoyed great support from Endurocad, a Stellenbosch-based programme in 2015, and from his coach, Ernie Gruhn.

“He always believed in me and taught me to believe in myself. And I believed I was going to win today.”

The men’s ultra-marathon over 56km was won by Lesotho’s Khoarahlane Seutloali in 3:10:46 while South Africa’s Gerda Steyn (3:29:10), clinched her sixth woman’s title in succession. 

Cape Argus