
Fireworks are expected at this year’s 17th edition of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon as Ethiopia’s Adane Kebede Gebre returns to defend his title this Sunday (21) in Cape Town, South Africa.
The 27-year old who comes to this race with a life time best of 2:06.54 that he got two years ago at the Ooredoo Doha Marathon, took the honors last year in a time of 2:24.17, thrashing Stephen Mokoka, the defending champion and three-time Sanlam Cape Town Marathon winner and course record holder.
The defending champion will experience a different kind of field as the organisers have assembled the strongest elite field ever Assembled on an African Soil, that includes the 2014 World Marathon record holder, Dennis Kipruto Kimetto from Kenya and the 2019 World marathon Champion Lelisa Desisa from Ethiopia.
Kimetto who is a three time world marathon major champion, holds the fastest time in the entry list of 2:02.51, while Desisa who is also a three time world marathon major champion comes with a life time best of 2:04.25 that he got at the 2013 Dubai Marathon.
Gebre, a force to be reckoned with in the men’s race, will also face a deep elite field as he aims to defend his crown against this year’s wisely selected field.
“There’s no doubt that African runners dominate in the sport, and as a proudly Pan-African group, it is only fitting that we ensure the rest of the continent is able to unite in Cape Town to run Africa’s only Abbott World Marathon Majors candidacy race,” shares Karl Socikwa – Group Executive of Market Development and Sustainability at Sanlam, the event’s title sponsor. “We have extended invitations to athletics bodies across our 27 markets in an attempt to identify promising top marathon runners. Our commitment to unlocking Africa’s untapped talent will see 25 athletes from countries such as Mali, Namibia, Botswana and more, compete with confidence on a world stage on African soil.”
The stakes are higher than ever with a prize of $50,000 for the winners with as the top podium man will walk away with $25,000, while the second and third-place finishers will receive $15,000 and $10,000, respectively.
LEADING TIME
42KM MEN
- Lelisa Desisa (ETH) 2:04.25
- Dennis Kimetto (KEN) 2:02.51
- Adane Gebre (ETH) 2:06.54
Author
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John Vaselyne is the founder of Athletics News. Africa’s only Independent Athletics News website. He has covered World U18 and U20 Championships, World Cross Country Championships, Four Continental Tour Gold Series, Wanda Diamond League. He has passion for the Sport and has over seven years experience in this area of sport. He is also the Leading Athletics Pundit in the Country, having been hosted in ALL leading TV stations in Kenya
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