One of South Africa’s top runners, Collin Khoza (25) will run through extreme temperatures, overwhelming humidity and centuries of history when he takes part in the Mumbai leg of Standard Chartered Bank’s Greatest Race on Earth on Sunday in India.
The race, sponsored by the Standard Chartered Group, is now in its second season and is run in four exotic cities — Nairobi, Singapore, Mumbai and Hong Kong. Each course is run by a different runner and is the only international relay of marathons in existence with an unmatched total prize pool of around R10-million.
Khoza steps in for the injured Sipho Ngomane and is an outstanding replacement as he finished in fourth position overall in the Mumbai Marathon in 2005 in a time of 02:14:46.
The race starts and finishes at the Azas Maidan, a memorial to a Goan freedom fighter Dr Tristao de Braganza Cunha. The course leads to Hutatma Chowk, the floral fountain honouring those who established the state of Maharashtra in the Indian Union.
The route will also take runners along the distinctive Mumbai coastline and the famous Chowpatty Beach, before turning for the finishing line past modern day landmarks such as the Mahalaymi Racecourse and the Taraporewalla Aquarium.
”I am definitely aiming to win the Mumbai Marathon this year. I have been training for this for the past year and I am as fit and confident as I have ever been,” said Khoza. ”I know the race and the conditions — it is a tough race but I feel that I have a good chance at the winners’ position.
”Furthermore, I am running for a team this year and it would make a big difference to our overall standing if I can end with an excellent time in the Mumbai Marathon.”
The South African team comprises Mluleki Nobanda, Meck Mothuli, Khoza and Simon Mphulenyane. The team’s training and performance is managed by two of South Africa’s greatest endurance athletes — Bruce Fordyce and Nick Bester.
The team are currently in 12th position in the overall all Nations Challenge and lie sixth in the African regional competition after the Nairobi and Singapore legs of the contest. The Hong Kong race on February 12 is the final section of the
competition.
Khoza ran his first full marathon in Secunda during 2000. In 2001 he ran the Soweto Marathon and finished fifth with a time of 02:19. He has since competed in the World Champs in Helsinki. – Sapa