Thirty-three-year-old Lesotho athlete, and reigning Two Oceans champion, Joseph Khoarahlane Seutloali, raced to a record-breaking victory at the OUTsurance Gun Run Half Marathon on a perfect spring day in Cape Town this past weekend, while fast-rising KZN athlete, Busisiwe Chamane, raced to a memorable victory in the women’s race.

Seutloali’s time was just 11 seconds off his personal best of 1:01:56 for the distance…

Seutloali crossed the finish line in Green Point in 1:02:07, 24 seconds inside the previous race record, set by Joel Mmone in the 2015 race and 38 seconds clear of Stellenbosch-based Anthony Timoteus, with last year’s winner Lloyd Bosman third, a further 19 seconds back.

Seutloali’s time was just 11 seconds off his personal best of 1:01:56 for the distance, set in Gqeberha in 2019.

Chamane raced clear early in the race and stayed ahead of her closest challenger, Anel Terblanche, throughout the race to win in 1:17:45, 54 seconds clear of Nedbank Western Cape athlete, Terblanche, with Carla Johnson (ASICS Cape Town) third. 

“Joseph is in good shape at the moment,” said his coach, Andrew Booyens. “He’s been competing well over shorter distances. He finished just 13 seconds behind the winner, Kabelo (Mulaudzi), in the RYC 10km in Tshwane last month (Seutloali placed 4th).

“When the Olympic window opens next December, we will look for a fast marathon in Europe to qualify, but for now he’s doing well in local races and he will be back in Cape Town next year in a title defence of his Two Oceans Marathon title.”

Seutloali was content to stay with an eight-strong pack through 5km, which included Bosman, Timoteus, Two Oceans Half Marathon winner, William Kaptein, former Gun Run champion, Desmond Mokgobu, last year’s third-placed finisher Edward Jack and his Tymebank Langa teammate Yanga Malusi, and top steeplechase and trail athlete, Siboniso Soldaka.

Kaptein pushed the pace on the long climb from Sea Point to Camps Bay, and only Seutloali was still in contention through 10km. When the Lesotho athlete accelerated, Kaptein fell back, leaving the Seutloali to complete the race on his own, which he did in fine style.

KZN athlete from the Black Diamond Athletics Club, Chamane, started running in 2020 – the first time she had been involved in sport since her days playing soccer and volleyball in primary school. She’s moved fast through the ranks and was in control from the start, and raced through to her first major road running title in the Western Cape.

Gun Run 10km: Another KZN athlete, Adam Lipschitz, ran strongly to win the Gun Run 10km in 29:18, 14 seconds clear of Tymebank Langa’s Bruce-Lynn Damons, with Kaptein third. African triathlon champion, Shanae Williams, held off a fast-finishing Kyla Jacobs to win a close women’s contest in 33:30, with Jacobs, almost back to her best form, just 7 seconds back in second. Australian-based Olga Firsova was a further minute back in third.

Gun Run Trail: Philani Sengce made it a hat-trick of Gun Run trail wins, finishing more than two minutes clear of Khayelitsha’s Zibele Bala in 1:13:14, with Ebeth Marai a clear winner in the women’s race in 1:27:42 ahead of Anine Oosthuizen and former South African international star, Katya Soggot, back to racing in the Masters 50 years age group.

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