Ngompane takes the lead

2005-06-16 09:51

Durban - South African dominance in the men's race in the 80th running of the famed Comrades Marathon from Pietermaritzburg to Durban was breached as two foreign runners began to make inroads into the Top 10 with Jaraslov Janicki of Poland slotting into seventh and Oleg Khantinov of Russia filling ninth spot.

There were also changes amongst the top three with 30 kms to go.

Sipho Ngompane overtook leader Andrias Mosoeu shortly before Hillcrest and Elias Mabane and Sipho Maisela also went ahead of the early pacemaker.

Soon afterwards Ngompane's pace had carried him into a big lead but it must be remembered that last time he also set a fast pace over the finishing straight only to drop out at the 60 kms mark from where he was taken to hospital in a severely dehydrated state.

With 37 kms to go the Russian dominance of the Comrades remained as before with the twins Elena Nurgalieva, the defending down run champion in 2003, ahead of her twin sister Oelysa by a matter of a few strides.

In third spot was Tatyana Zhirkova also of Russia.

Harmony's Farwa Mentoor - the first South African finisher in the past three years - was holding onto fourth spot three minutes adrift of the leaders.

- SAPA