Russian Elena Nurgalieva was the class act of the Comrades Marathon when she followed up with her ”down” victory last year with a record win for the women’s title from Durban to Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday.
Elena, running in the orange colours of new outfit Prime, powered ahead of a strong challenge from Cape Town’s Farwa Mentoor 18km out to finish in 6 hrs 11min 15sec, shaving more than two minutes off the previous mark of 6:13,23.
Her win earns her R175 000 as well as a handsome bonus from her sponsors. She finished almost three minutes ahead of fellow Russian Marina Bychkova who enjoyed a strong finish for 6:14:13 in ideal sunny conditions.
”I’m very happy to have win this race again,” said Elena, who also won the 56km Two Oceans ahead of her twin in April. ”I love racing here. The people along the route were amazing.”
Mentoor fought with all her strength to take the Russians on and was she holding out for second approaching Polly Shorts. But Bychkova, who had faded earlier, came back at her and the Cape Town runner pushed on to claim third in 6:18:23 to a tumultuous welcome from the crowd at Alexandra Park cricket ground.
Mentoor, running for Harmony Gold, held off Elena’s twin sister Olesya who claimed fourth in 6:20:32.
The twins controlled the pace with fellow Russian Marina Bychkova among the women and surged through halfway at Drummond in 3:04:33 with Mentoor close on their heels.
Mentoor held out gamely over Inchanga Hilland the Russian twins tried to wear her challenge down over Harrison Flats, but the tough little Capetonian hung in grimly, while Bychkova fell off the pace after 72km of running.
Elena attacked Mentoor heading for Cato Ridge while Olesya hung back to mark the South African.
Approaching Umlaas Road, the highest point on the route, Mentoor pushed hard to close the gap and dropped Olesya. But she had little bounce left in her legs and try as she might, the Capetonian had no answer when Bychkova came from behind to overtake her for second. – Sapa