Negewo breaks South African All-Comers Record in Cape Town

Asefa Mengstu Negewo of Ethiopia shattered the long-standing South African all-comers record in the marathon to highlight the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, an IAAF Silver Label Road Race, on Sunday.

The 31-year-old clocked 2:08:42 to knock more than a minute from the previous fastest performance run on South African soil, David Tsebe’s 2:09:50 set in Port Elizabeth in 1990. With his victory Negewo also improved on his own previous personal best of 2:11:16, set in Bloemfontein last April.

Negewo edged Kenyan Emannuel Tirop Keter who crossed the line in 2:08:47, an improvement of more than six minutes on his previous best of 2:15:17 from 2014.

Barnabas Kiptum of Kenya was third in 2:09:21, also a personal best for the 30-year-old.

Women’s Race

Tish Jones of Great Britain was the surprise winner in the women’s contest, clocking 2:36:13. For the 31-year-old, it was an improvement of nearly 20 minutes from her only other recorded marathon.

Megerta Ifa Geletu of Ethiopia, the pre-race favourite, was second in 2:36:34, with South African Lebogang Phalula third in 2:38:00.

Read more at: IAAF.org