With the exception of the men’s long race, South African athletes made a clean sweep at the ninth Cross Country Championships of Africa’s southern region at Candos Hill, Mauritius, on Saturday.
The races, contested in heavy rain on a muddy course, posed a true obstacle test for the runners of seven countries. The meeting served as final trial for the selection of the SA team to the World Cross Country Championships in France in March.
Ruben Ramolefi, South Africa’s new 3000m steeplechase champion, Poppy Mlambo and the Phalula twins excelled in the senior events while the Western Province runner, Nkosinoxolo Sonqibido, and Irvette van Blerk, achieved easy victories in the junior division.
Ramolefi ran a well-controlled race to win the men’s 4,2km short course event by two seconds from Kaelo Mosalagne of Botswana with his teammates, Boy Soke, Mandla Maseko and Anthony Hermanus in close contention. Top honours in the long race over 10,5km went to Lewis Masundo of Zimbabwe, who easily clinched matters by a margin of 40s from two Botswana athletes and by almost two minutes over the first South African.
Diminutive Poppy Mlambo was equally impressive in the women’s long race with a 29s victory over Samobeliso Moy of Zimbabwe and in the short race (4,2km) the South African Phalula twins (Dinah Lebo and Dinarose) , who have been in very good form in track events lately, did well to finish almost half a minute ahead of Rene Kalmer. Dinarose beat her sister by two seconds.
Irvette van Blerk, who suffered serious injuries in a motorcycle accident in October last year, made a good return and won the junior title with ease. Sonqibido ran his best race outside South Africa winning the junior men’s race by 40s. – Sapa