Russian twins shine again

2007-06-17 15:15

Durban - The Nurgalieva twins, Olesya and Elena, definitely do not decide beforehand which of them will cross the line ahead of the other when they compete together and, for this reason, Olesya, who won the 2007 Comrades Marathon Down Run from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, was champion on merit.

The Russian twins who have dominated the Comrades in recent years, confirmed that before the race they discussed team strategies but that there was no collusion as to whom would win on any given day.

But they did say that they loved running together. And this is what happened on Sunday when they found themselves clear of the field by some 10 minutes or more heading towards the finish line at the Sahara Stadium in Durban.

However Elena said at a media briefing that she felt she was tiring over the last nine kilometres or so and that enabled sister Olesya to beat her to the line by a paltry 29 seconds in a winning time of six hours, 10 minutes and 10 seconds.

Both said that they had feared the challenge of third placed Madina Biktigirova, also of Russia, who at one stage was in the lead.

Previous longest run was 56km

But once she dropped back - the race distance, she confirmed, was far too long for her as her previous longest run was 56km - they knew the race was theirs for the asking.

And the twins confirmed that, all being equal, they would be back for next year's up run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg.

Madina, who finished third 11 minutes and 52 seconds behind winner Olesya, said: "The Comrades is all about experience."

She declared: "I really did not think about it being so far at the start in Pietermaritzburg but as the race progressed I don't think I have every experienced such pain. It really is very different.

"I always had the desire to be a winner here but knee problems that hampered my training coming into the race certainly played a role in my not managing to stay in touch with the twins."

Asked if she would return in 2008 for the up run from Durban she said: "That is something I will have to think about seriously. I do believe the race is too long for me. I am not really ready for this kind of contest. But that is a decision for next year."

One of the features of the race was the fact that South Africa's best-placed woman competitor Farwa Mentoor maintained her remarkable run of winning successive Golds for the fifth time. In finishing fourth, she broke a possible one to five Russian dominance of the 2007 Comrades. Yolande MacLean of South Africa was seventh. With Alinda Kruger ninth and the ever-popular Grace de Oliveira 10th.

- SAPA