"It's about making a mark" - Mokoka welcomes Kipchoge and targets 2:08 or faster at Cape Town Marathon
- Liteboho Mohlakoana
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Renowned road runner Stephen Mokoka is delighted to have two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge as a participant at this year's Sanlam Cape Town Marathon set for Sunday 24 May. The former World Record holder touched down in The Mother City yesterday (Tuesday 19 May) for what will be his 42,2km race on the African continent. It also marks the start of Eliud's Running World tour, which will see the Kenyan run seven marathons across all the continents over the next two years.
Following last year's disappointing last-minute cancellation of the race that is set to become Africa's first major marathon, Kipchoge's presence has lifted the spirits of the many runners who will be part of a record field. This year the race will see 27,000 marathoners lining up on Sunday while 17,500 others will take part in other races such as the 5km and 10km Peace Runs as well as the Cape Town Trail Marathon and 22km and 11km trail runs on Saturday 23 May. Mokoka believes Kipchoge’s participation will bring excitement to a lot of runners.
"It is amazing for everyone, not just me," says Mokoka who was part of Kipchoge's team of pace-makers when he first attempted to break the 2-hour marathon barrier in an exhibition run in Italy in 2017.
"I got an opportunity to compete against Eliud before but I believe a lot of guys, especially young, old and even social runners are looking forward to having a man of his magnitude in the race. We call him the GOAT because he is the first man to run a sub-two-hour marathon. Having a guy like that in our country will be amazing. It is good for Africa and for the nation as well. It shows that he honours Africa," says Mokoka.
Mokoka, who has won the Cape Town Marathon thrice before is chasing his fourth title in the Mother City and will carry local hopes after the withdrawal of SA Marathon Record Holder Elroy Gelant and the up and coming Thabang Mosiako. Taking on an arsenal of world class East Africans, the Hollywood Athletic Club top runner who is the holder of a 2:06:42 persona best, says his goal is simply to improve on his Cape Town Marathon best time.
"I am hoping to do well, which means that I want to improve on my previous time which is 2:08:33. If I am be able to run something faster than that I will be happy. It is about racing hard, it’s about making a mark. It is about trying to run faster than I have ever run in South Africa. I have ran a few times under 2:10, so I am hoping to do that," he tells #TheTopRunner.
"It is an amazing and prestigious event, globally. It attracts people from all spheres of life from all the continents. For me, to have an opportunity to race in a race like that is an amazing feeling. Most of our lives we used to go abroad to take part in a race of this magnitude so being able to race at home is amazing," he says.
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