/ 22 August 2008

Can Ramaala up the pace?

South African marathon champions Hendrick Ramaala and Norman Dlomo will hit the road on Sunday hoping to emulate compatriot Josiah Thugwane, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics gold medallist.

Thugwane got the better of South Korean Lee Bong-ju and Kenyan Eric Wanaina to land gold in 2:12,36 after a ding-dong contest in which the lead changed several times.

Ramaala and Dlomo represent South Africa’s last opportunity to add to its medal tally. The marathon is the final event of the Games, run after the closing ceremony.

If the duo pull it off they will be the first South Africans to take metal­ware from the marathon since Thugwane. Countrymen such as Xolile Yawa, Gert Thys, Ian Syster and Matthews Temane have all tried but failed to match Thugwane’s achievement.

Ramaala has the fourth fastest time of 2:06,55 among the 100 or so competitors who will take the field on Sunday. The top-seeded runners with faster times than Ramaala are Khalid Khannouchi, a former Moroccan who now turns out in American colours, and Kenyans Martin Lel and Samuel Wanjiru.

Realistically Dlomo is a rank outsider with his personal best of 2:11,47. What he lacks in form, however, he makes up in desire to be among the best in the world.

Though Ramaala has credentials that permit hope he could fulfil his country’s desire for a medal, he has come short when it matters. He pulled out of the marathon at the last Olympics in Athens and did so again at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka.

Other than Ramaala and Dlomo, Southern Africa has four other representatives — the Lesotho trio of Clement Lebopo, Simon Maine and Moses Mosuhli, and Mike Fokorani of Zimbabwe.

Africa’s medal tally
Ten African countries have won a total of 27 medals four days before the Olympic Games end in Beijing on Sunday.

Kenya, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, South Africa, Tunisia, Togo and Morocco have all registered their names on the medal tally, with Kenya leading the continent’s haul.

Kenya has eight medals: two gold, four silver and two bronze, notably thanks to the first places of Pamela Jelimo in the women’s 800m and Brimin Kipruto in the men’s 3 000m steeplechase, and veteran Catherine Ndereba’s silver in the women’s marathon.

Ethiopia is second with three medals: two gold and one silver. Kenenisa Bekele and Tirunesh Dibaba won gold in their respective men’s and women’s 10 000m races.

Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry has won four medals: one gold and three silver in the women’s swimming competition.

Judokas Soraya Haddad and Amar Benikhlef won Algeria silver and bronze medals respectively. Egypt had Hesham Mesbah win its solitary bronze medal.

Françoise Mbango Etone won the women’s triple jump event for Cameroon while Tunisian Oussama Mellouli conquered in the men’s swimming 1 500m freestyle.

Togo picked up a bronze through Benjamin Boukpeti in canoeing.

Long-serving athlete Hasna Benhassi’s bronze behind Jelimo in the women’s 800m is Morocco’s only medal. Mozambique’s prominent Maria Mutola finished a disappointing fifth in that race, in her last Olympic competition.