The outcome of the ANCs long-awaited KwaZulu-Natal conference was a win for the Thuma Mina crowd. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)
BRITS, June 2 (ANA) – Comrades Marathon champion David Gatebe knew he was going to win the ultra marathon from the start, he said on Thursday.
“I was fit for the race and knew that I was going to win. I told my teammates that I was going for the record. I wanted to shed a minute from the records. I wanted to finished the race in five hours 19, the record was five hours 20,” Gatebe told ANA.
“I felt strong at half way and knew the title was in the bag. I was talking to Ludwick Mamabolo while running, my coach came and told me Mamabolo was not my friend but, my enemy as he wanted to outrun me.
“I had observed Mamabolo and realised that I had more speed and strength than him. I was going to outpace him.”
Gatebe said after a pep-talk from coach John Hamlett, he kept up his pace and ran to victory, motoring at a pace of three minutes ten seconds per kilometre.
He completed the down run from Pietermaritzburg to Durban in a record time of five hours 18 minutes and 13 seconds, breaking Leonid Shvetzov’s nine-year record.
“We wanted to win the marathon and also claim the team prize. We achieved all that,” said the Tomtom athlete.
Gatebe, 35, a father of two boys, was born in Kroonstad in the Free State and went to Rustenburg to look for a job after completing matric.
“I wanted to be an accountant but, I did not have money to pay for my studies I then decided to go to Rustenburg looking for a job. I worked at a filling station as a pump attendant,” said the third-born in a family of five.
The pint-sized athlete who works as a sport officer at Impala Platinum in Rustenburg spent two months training in the mountains in Dullstroom, Mpumalanga.
Coach Hamlett said he was confident his athletes were going to do well.
“We plan our race well, I was expecting first and second position but, Gift Kelehe got injured. My worry was that my athletes will race against each other and that would have allowed other athletes to wait and pounce once they were tired,” he said.
“I saw David speaking to Ludick [Mamabolo] and I told him he was not his friend. I said he was his friend before and after the race, during the race they were enemies.”
Gatebe attributed his victory to his family and his sponsors and thanked fellow Rustenberg residents for their support.
“My family understands that everything about me revolves around athletics. My sponsors made my dream possible they took care of me while training in Dullstroom.”
He called on youngsters to take up sport to stay away from drugs.
“Training makes you healthy,” he said.
Residents of Sunrise Park in Rustenburg where he lives, were excited to have a champion amongst them.
“People of Sunrise and Rustenburg gave me a warm welcome. They met me in town and celebrated with me. Thank you for your support Rustenburg.”
The Comrades champion is not thinking of retiring, or slowing down, yet.
“I want to go for the up run record next year. I will only consider retirement at age 60.”
When not racing Gatebe relaxes at home with his family.
“I do not go to taverns or clubs, I just spend time with my children. I do not drink or smoke. I call on the youth to participate in sport,” he said.
-African News Africa (ANA).
Disclaimer: This story is pulled directly from the African News Agency wire, and has not been edited by Mail & Guardian staff. The M&G does not accept responsibility for errors in any statement, quote or extract that may be contained therein.