Moyo stutters at Comrades Marathon
Long distance runner Henry Moyo failed to fulfil his dream of winning the 90 kilometres Comrades Marathon in Durban, South Africa on Sunday after falling outside the prize receiving bracket of top 10 athletes.
The Malawi Police Service sub-inspector, who recently took silver during the 56-kilometre Two Oceans Marathon in the ‘Rainbow Nation’, was hoping to improve at the 87th edition of the Comrades Marathon after slumping midway due to an injury last year.
According to South Africa’s The New Age newspaper, South African Ludiwick Mamabolo won the 90-kilometre marathon that stretched from Pietermaritzburg to Durban in 5:31:03 hours. He was 1:37 minutes ahead of runner-up and compatriot Bongmusa Mthembu.
Zimbabwe’s Steven Muzhingi, who won the 2012 Two Oceans Marathon with just two seconds ahead of Moyo a few weeks ago, failed to defend his fourth Comrades title after finishing 6th in 5:38:02 hours.
Despite being described as one of the favourites of the race that attracted about 20 000 athletes worldwide, Moyo was not among the best 10.
Before the race on Sunday, Moyo sent this message to The Nation: “Comrades Marathon is around the corner. I know that it will be a tough race, but I will manage to be in top 10. Hopefully, I will do better. Many thanks should go to IG (Inspector General of Police) for allowing me to come here.”
The Comrades Marathon is the world’s oldest and largest ultra-marathon.
