Online Reporter
Ellina Mhlanga, [email protected]
FOLLOWING the confirmation of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon as the first Abbott World Marathon Major to be held on African soil, local athletes have welcomed the development as a major milestone for the continent.
The race now becomes the eighth event in one of the most prestigious marathon series in the world, joining globally recognised races such as the Tokyo, London, Boston, Sydney, Berlin, Chicago and New York City marathons.
According to the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon website, the event will officially join the elite series at its 2027 edition, scheduled for May 23. This follows a successful second assessment during this year’s race, which was held on May 24.
Zimbabwean long-distance runners, including Isaac Mpofu and Fortunate Chidzivo, have previously taken part in the marathon, with both athletes competing in this year’s edition as well.
Mpofu said the inclusion of the Cape Town race into the global majors is a welcome development, particularly for African athletes who have often had to travel long distances to compete in similar high-level events.
“What I can say it’s a big step up for the Cape Town race, and a big opportunity for athletes too. It’s in Africa and we are blessed as it is close to us, a few costs when one needs to go to attend,” said Mpofu.
He added that having a World Marathon Major on the continent provides African athletes with a more accessible platform to qualify for major international competitions.
“Major races are good for us as they provide a clean and straight qualification to big world events like the Olympics and the World Championships, as long as we run a good time. Best move for us as Africans is to have a major event like this close by,” said Mpofu.
Chidzivo echoed similar sentiments, describing the development as a moment worth celebrating for African runners. “Despite being a marathon runner and an African, this calls for celebration. This is a huge achievement and it means low cost for us to attend than when we go to Europe or Asia, and sometimes you stress about visas etcetera.
“Now we have a chance to scoop big points with less cost as I mentioned above. Congratulations to Sanlam Cape Town Marathon team. Hopefully they will continue to consider recreational athletes from African soil to get standards for other majors around the world.”
This year’s edition of the race also attracted global attention, with legendary Kenyan marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge among the participants. Kipchoge finished in 16th place.
The men’s race was won by Ethiopia’s Heseyidin Mohamed Esa, who set a new course record of 2 hours 4 minutes 55 seconds.
In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Dera Dida took top honours, finishing in 2 hours 23 minutes 18 seconds.
Seasoned coach Benson Chauke described the development as a major breakthrough for African athletics, saying it addresses long-standing challenges faced by runners from the continent.
“I think this is the best news one would have wanted, particularly for us from Africa. We didn’t have very fast courses in Africa…records broken, like really competitive times. So, having one in Africa makes a lot of sense in the sense that for Africa to get visas to go to Europe, the Americas, where there are already known established courses, it has always been a challenge to obtain a visa.
“And number two, there’s always been a challenge to get someone to register you for such events…The cost of sending one person to Europe could probably take two or three people to go to Cape Town.
“So, in terms of the cost of attending such competitions, the one in Africa is cheaper. In terms of registration, instead of having to have a manager to register you for the European races, possibly this one, one can just enter like an open race and compete and get the times,” said Chauke.
He said the presence of a World Marathon Major in Africa is likely to improve competition standards, as more elite international athletes are expected to take part.
“In terms of the competitiveness of the race, I think the time that has been registered in the past, the previous competition speaks volumes of how fast the course is, which makes it also competitive to some of the well-established courses in the marathon races in Europe. So, for us, it’s an advantage,” said Chauke.
Beyond the financial benefits, Chauke added that the race offers a more familiar and comfortable environment for African athletes, which could help them perform better.
The inclusion of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon in the Abbott World Marathon Majors is widely seen as a significant step forward for athletics on the continent, opening new opportunities for both elite and upcoming runners while bringing world-class competition closer to home.
