Mentoor prefers 'up run'

2003-06-18 21:53

Eben Human

Cape Town - Local athlete Farwa Mentoor believes her style of running is better suited to the "up"-route in the Comrades Ultra Marathon.

She is confident that - with the help of her sponsor - she will perform better next year, when the race is run in the opposite direction: from Durban to Pietermaritzburg.

Mentoor, running in the colours of Harmony Gold, was again the first South African female athlete to complete the race on Monday. She finished eighth, compared to fourth last year. Her time on Monday was 6 hours 32 minutes and 37 seconds.

Harmony Gold's club chairman, Nick Bester, on Wednesday referred to Mentoor's earlier comment in a Durban newspaper that South African women were not supported well by sponsors.

However, Mentoor said she had referred to female athletes in general. "I'm one of the fortunate ones, and I definitely have nothing to complain about."

Bester said Mentoor had received R221 000 as incentive from her sponsor. The sponsor had also covered all her costs during the visit to KwaZulu-Natal.

However, Mentoor said there were other sponsors who preferred to invest in overseas athletes. The first four women in this year's Comrades were all women, supported by Mr Price.

German athlete Maria Bak won the "up"-race in a time of 6:14:21 last year. On Monday, Russian athlete Elena Nurgahieva came out of the blue to win in 6:07:46.

"I was warned beforehand that I would find the 'down'-route tougher. I've not started running again after Monday and have gone for (leg) massages."

- Die Burger