MONDAY, 10.35AM:
SOUTH AFRICA’S emerging hero Hendrik Ramaala broke the long standing South African half marathon record of 60 minutes 11 seconds at the 21km World Championships in Slovakia on Saturday.
Ramaala finished fourth in 60 minutes 07sec to break the 10-year old record that was set by Zithulele Sinqe and Mathews Timane in East London.
Teammate Gert Thys finished sixth and Elena Meyers’ race ended at 12km mark when she tore a calf muscle when leading with Tegla Loroupe – who eventually won the race.
Athletics South Africa (ASA) secretary general Banele Sindani praised Ramaala. “He has come from a nowhere, from being an ordinary track athlete who could not make the 10 000m finals at the World Championships to an instant hero overnight,” he said.
Ramaala is expected back in the country on Monday. “His coming home as a hero and is going to have the same sort of status as Thugwane and Sinqe,” said Sindani.