Athletics South Africa – News – FESTIVAL TO CELEBRATE MCARTHUR

McArthur won the marathon at the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm, Sweden.

To celebrate this historic, even momentous, occasion in the history of South African sports, the University of Northwest (Pukke) has organized a Ken McArthur Running Festival in Potchefstroom for Saturday (10 November).

The athletics stadium in Potchefstroom has been named after McArthur. He died in Potchefstroom at the age of 79.   

Quite at few of South Africa’s running legends indicated that they will be there to honour McArthur’s historic marathon victory.

Appropriately Josiah Thugwane, the only other South African who has been able to win an Olympic marathon (1996 in Atlanta, USA), will be there to set off the athletes in the marathon.

Thugwane himself will run the 10km.

Blanche Moila (Comrades legend), Hezekiel Sepeng (Olympian medalist in the 800m), Gert Thys (SA record holder in the marathon) are some of the heroes of yesteryear who can be seen in action in the various races.

Interestingly Elroy Gelant, one of the top local athletes over 5000m, will be competing in his first marathon.
According to his coach, Jean Verster, Gelant will treat the marathon as a very long training run.

André Olivier (Olympian), who is currently one of South Africa’s top 800m athletes, will run the 10km race.
In the book: “The Olympics – Athens to Athens 1896-2004”, McArthur’s Olympic victory is described as follows:

“Traditionally, the most important day of the Olympic Games is the day of the marathon.

“This year is no different. From 10am, the stadium doors were under siege. There was not a cloud in the sky and, unfortunately for the competitors, the temperature was stifling.

“Seventy one competitors set off along roads that were extremely poor. The organization was flawless. Soldiers controlled the traffic, Boy Scouts indicated the route and ambulances and doctors followed in motorcars.

“At the halfway point, Christian Gitsham (SA) and Tatu Kolehmainen (Fin) led. On the return route, the order did not change very much, until 5km from the finish, when Gitsham and fellow South African Ken McArthur led together, followed by Gaston Strobino (USA), Sigfrid Jacobson (Swe), James Duffy (Can) and the Italian Speroni.

“In the final kilometer McArthur left compatriot Gitsham behind. He ran the final lap with a laurel wreath woven with yellow and blue ribbons, slung across his shoulder, crossed the finish line and collapsed.

“Gitsham, who was still in excellent condition, finished second, 200m behind. Then Strobino, the first American, finished.”
A story is being told about how Gitsham, confident of victory, stopped for water expecting McArthur to join him. Instead McArthur ran on, stretching his lead and eventually beating Gitsham by 58 seconds.

There was also a tragic finish to the race. Francisco Lazaro, a 21-year-old from Portugal, collapsed with sunstroke 7km from the finish line and had to be rushed to the hospital where he died, sadly, the next morning.

In the next season, McArthur injured his foot in an accident and was forced to retire from athletics. He ran six marathon races (including the Olympic marathon) throughout his career and never lost one.

Athletes can still enter for the Ken McArthur Festival (5km, 10km, 21km and 42km) from this afternoon at the stadium and tomorrow morning.

For more information phone Jean Verster at 082-923-6399.

Written by Wilhelm de Swardt