OLD MUTUAL TWO OCEANS MARATHON 56km, SOUTH AFRICA – 26 MARCH 2016

Mike Fokoroni raced to a comfortable finish, outpacing fellow countryman and club mate Collen Makaza with defending champion Motlokoa Nkhabutlane third. "I was just holding back" said Fokoroni "[but] at 45km I saw victory could be mine if I tried."

Defending champion Carol Wostman maintained a comfortable distance from race leader Tanith Maxwell but took the lead in the final kilometres of the race.

Fokoroni's OMTOM finish was the slowest in 22 years. Wöstmann noted that the absence of the Russian athletes (still banned from international participation) contributed to a slower race overall.

SA-born Colleen de Reuck travelled from the USA to make her Ultra Marathon debut and finished 5th in 3:53:07 which smashed the 50-60 year age group record by over 20 minutes. She also recorded a new word record for her age group by reaching 50km in 3:27:28. The previous 50km record in the 50-54 age category was 3:41:57, set in 1994.

Mokaedi Dilotsotlhe, Chief Marketing Officer at Old Mutual paid tribute to Chet Sainsbury who passed away a few weeks ago: "If it was not for him, Old Mutual would not have been a part of this outstanding event. We salute you Chet."

MEN:
1  Mike FOKORONI                  ZIM  3:13:33
2  Collen MAKAZA                   ZIM  3:14:45
3  Motlokoa Nkhabutlane          LES  3:16:22
 
WOMEN:
1  Caroline WOSTMANN            RSA  3:44:44
2  Tanith MAXWELL                  RSA  3:45:55
3  Amelework FIKADU              ETH  3:47:40
 
HALF MARATHON
MEN:
1  Namakoe NKHASI               RSA  1:03:38
2  Elroy GELANT                     RSA  1:03:40
3  David MANJA                      RSA  1:03:45
 
WOMEN:
1   Irvette VAN ZYL                RSA  1:13:14
2   Onneile DINTWE               BOT  1:17:15
3   Alina ARMAS                     NAM  1:18:05

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