With prospects of yet another foreigner winning the Soweto Marathon, Athletics South Africa has decided to invest in the future of the sport. And that future, it says, lies with middle-distance runners such as 24-year-old University of Free State star Boy Soke.
On Sunday, Soke will run the 10km route of the Soweto road race. But he aims to return one day to conquer the full 42,2km course. He is the national champion of the 5 000m, 10km and 12km cross-country races.
Although his achievements have been limited to short distances so far, Athletics South Africa development manager Molatelo Malehope believes this will stand Soke in good stead.
”To be a successful marathon runner you have to start with short distances. We encourage our young athletes like Soke to take part in events such as cross-country 5 000m and 10km races, which prepares them to become good marathon runners,” Malehope says.
South Africa’s Hendrick Ramaala, winner of the 2004 New York City Marathon and one of the top marathon runners in the world, best illustrates this point. He was a short-distance runner before switching to marathon running.
Ramaala took part in 3 000m, 5 000m, 10 000m and 10km races. Incidentally, on the same day that Soke attempts the mini version of the Soweto Marathon, Ramaala will be trying to repeat his conquest of the New York streets.
Soke hopes to have cracked it as a marathon runner by the time London hosts the 2012 Olympics, where he dreams of winning a gold medal.
But, if he makes it to London, it won’t be the first time he has run for his country internationally. He represented South Africa in this year’s Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, where he took part in the 5 000m race.
Soke’s coach, Bebe Prinsloo, is optimistic that it is only a matter of time before the young athlete’s potential is fulfilled. ”He is a talented young man who will achieve many things in his life if he keeps up his performance. He is slowly preparing for marathons in which he will take part in future.”
Malehope concurs. ”Soke is a talented young athlete with speed who will win marathons in future. The right age for him to start running marathons is about 30.”
Meanwhile, the reigning champions of the Soweto Marathon, Lesotho’s Mabuthile Lebopo and Mamarolla Tjoka, are gearing up to defend their male and female titles respectively.
Lebopo’s main challenge this year is likely to be Tsotang Maine, also from Lesotho and winner of the 2005 Soweto Marathon.
The race boasts total prize money of R806 700. The first male and female to cross the finish line will each pocket R100 000, with the second- and third-place runners pocketing R80 000 and R60 000 respectively. The winners of the 20km walk will take home R5 000 each, second place gets R3 500 and third wins R3 000.
”We continue to try to improve the national and international stature of the Nedbank Soweto Marathon; we have dug deep to ensure the athletes efforts are rewarded accordingly,” says Leonard Chuene, Athletics South Africa president.