Nose targets SA Champs gold & Two Oceans success after cruising to 10 000m victory at KZNA Champs

Despite some encouraging performances, the first day of the KwaZulu-Natal Athletics Senior, TVET Colleges and Masters Championship hosted at the King's Park Athletics Stadium on Friday 20 March was a generally disappointing affair underlined by low participation levels and poor crowd attendance. 

For example, the senior men’s 10,000m race which had been one of the most highly anticipated events of the two day programme, was ultimately contested by just two athletes in Cwenga Nose and Siphamandla Goba, after several pre-entries withdrew. Nose nevertheless produced a creditable solo performance, posting a time of 30:18:38 to claim the gold medal in the day's opening event, which commenced at 06:00 to avoid the hot weather conditions. Goba finished second, earning the silver medal with a time of 32:02:20. Speaking to #TheTopRunner, 25-year-old Nose was pleased with the performance as his mission was to qualify for the Athletics South Africa (ASA) Track & Field Championship set to take place in Stellenbosch between 16- 18 April. 

KZNA top runner Nose claimed a maiden silver medal at the 2025 ASA Senior Track & Field Championships when he finished behind Nadeel Wildschutt of Boland. Anthony Timotheus took the bronze. Photo Credit: Supplied.

"I think the most important thing today was to try to run the qualifying time to go to the SA Championship next month. Since most athletes pulled out, it made it difficult to run the fast time as the competition was lacking. I'm glad in the end because I controlled the race from start to finish and able to win it," said Nose who runs in the colors of Phantane Athletics Club. 

Nose, who obtained a silver medal in the national 10 000m race last year, has set sights two major targets for the month of April. He wants to win gold at the Coetzenburg Stadium and improve on his 2025 Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon Half-Marathon run. Last year, he finished fourth which was later upgraded to third position after Williams Kaptein's doping scandal. 

Nose (right) poses with Phantane AC Founder Mdu Khumalo (centre) and fellow gold medalist Nwabisa Mjoli after finishing the 2025 Totalsports Two Oceans Half Marathon. Photo Credit: Supplied.

"Since I have qualified for the nationals, my focus is to improve on last year's performance by getting the gold medal. At the same time Two Oceans is also very important to me. The main goal remains Two Oceans as I managed to obtain a podium position last year. So this year, I'm targeting another great performance. I'm using the track as one of the essentials sessions to prepare me so I can excel at the upcoming Two Oceans.” 

In other events South African 800m bronze medallist Kwazi Mgobhozi won his main event in 1:53:79 edging his Sisonke Athletics Club teammate Simiso Khomo who came second in 1:54:78. Even though Mgobhozi was first to cross the finish line, he failed to dip below the 1:51:00 required to book a ticket to the nationals next month. Meanwhile former KZNA 5km Champion Ntsoaki Molahloe cruised in an unfamiliar 800m distance taking a victory in a 2:08:72 as Maxed Elite Athlete Slindile Hlatshwayo came second in 2:16:54. Mbali Mashaba ended third overall.