TUESDAY, 11.00AM:
SMILING widely for the last five kilometres, it was victory at last for Charl Mattheus who won the down-run Comrades Marathon yesterday, with a time of 5 hours, 28minutes and 37 seconds.
The last time Mattheus broke the tape at the finish line was on the up-run in 1992, when he was disqualified for a dope offence. This time, he said, there is no doubt about his win: “Hopefully now the people won’t talk about Charl Mattheus the 1992 winner who was disqualified, but a Charl Mattheus the 1997 Comrades champion.”
South Africans filled seven of the top ten men’s positions, and Russian world 100km record holder Konstantin Santalov finished tenth to get the final gold medal.
In the women’s race, American Ann Trason took the honours, followed closely by Maria Bak.
GOLD
Charl Mattheus 5:28:37
Nick Bester 5:30:41
Jaroslaw Janicki 5:32:50
Zithulele Sinqe 5:33:18
Andrew Kelehe 5:33:24
Sarel Ackermann 5:33:27
Shaun Meiklejohn 5:34:04
Mahlala Mohloli 5:34:34
Peter Camenzind 5:34:47
Konstantin Santalov 5:37:36
WOMEN’S RACE
Ann Trason 5:58:27
Maria Bak 6:00:27
Valentina Liakhova 6:22:58
Valentina Shatyeava 6:31:37
Charlotte Noble 6:45:51
Rene du Plessis 6:45:58
Helene Joubert 6:51:18
Berna Daly 6:52:38
Rae Bisschoff 7:05:04
Sanet Beukes 7:07:51