With the final countdown to race weekend, the elite field gathered for the 3 rd running of the Nedbank Runified Breaking Barriers 50km set for 26 February 2023 is looking the strongest it has ever been, with a bigger international contingent coming out for this year’s event.
In its first edition back in 2021, the event saw two world records being broken with new men’s and women’s records set, followed up by the men’s world record being smashed last year and thewomen’s world record surviving a very narrow scare. This year’s field features a mix of ultra-marathon and marathon specialists with an exciting number of debut ultra-marathoners taking part. If you thought that a runner making their debut can be discounted, think again as both men’s world records were set by athletes making their ultra-marathon debuts.
Spearheading the field based off ultra-marathon ability is Ethiopia’s Endale Belachew who runs in the colours of Maxed Elite. With a 2:11 marathon best, Belachew ran last year’s Two Oceans Marathon taking victory easily. This year Belachew has earmarked the Nedbank Runified Breaking Barriers 50km over Two Oceans as he wants to be a World record holder. “My training has been going very well in the camp and I am looking forward to an exciting and fast race,” said Belachew.
Accompanying him from Ethiopia is a very strong Nedbank running club contingent. Daba Ifa Debele and Gadisa Bekele Gutama ran a 1-2 finish in last year’s Soweto Marathon and will be making their ultra-debuts next weekend.
Leading the South African charge in the colours of Nedbank running club will be ultra-marathon superstars Tete Dijana and Edward Mothibi. The pair have emerged victorious in the last two editions of the Comrades Marathon and Dijana and Motihibi stood aloft the podium in last year’s Nedbank Runified Breaking Barriers 50km finishing in 2 nd and 3 rd . “We have been in the very same camp we were for Comrades training specifically for this event and we are ready for action,” said Dijana from the camp that is led under the watchful eyes of coach Dave Adams.
Former Two Oceans Marathon winner and Lesotho National marathon record holder Motlokoa Nkhabutlane also features on the start list and will be one to look out for. Ensuring the athletes go out at a world record tempo see’s local Nelson Mandela Bay hero Melikhaya Frans tasked with keeping the pace upfront. Frans is preparing for the upcoming Boston Marathon and will look to go up to 30km.
With an exciting men’s race on paper, the women’s race is equally exciting with several athletes who could break Irvette van Zyl’s 3:04:23 world record. Returning will be last year’s champion in the colours of Nedbank running club Amelework Fikadu Bosho who narrowly missed out on a new world record when she crossed the line in 3:04:58. Joining her from last year’s podium will be teammate Shelmith Muriuki who finished 2 nd in 3:08:29. The strong Kenyan athlete is a class marathon runner with international victories to her CV.
In the colours of Nedbank running club making the trek from Europe will be Dominika Stelmach from Poland and Hannah Lindholm from Sweden. Stelmach is a familiar face in South Africa and has podiumed at the first edition of the Nedbank Runified Breaking Barriers 50km and was 2 nd in last year’s Comrades Marathon. Lindholm is a class marathon runner who will be making her debut over the ultras. Boasting a 2:28:59 marathon PB, the Swede is someone to look out for in the front of the field.
Another East African athlete hailing from Kenya will be Daisy Kipsugut. The Kenyan may only boast a 2:41:46 marathon best, but she ran in last year’s Soweto Marathon where she finished 4th, missing the podium. Kipsugut will once again face the 3 Nedbank running club Ethiopian ladies who were ahead of her at that race as they all make their return to the Nelson Mandela Bay.
Leading the South African charge will be the Nedbank running club duo of Adele Broodryk and Galaletsang Mekgoe. Broodryk finished 3 rd and first South African in her debut Comrades last year whilst Mekgoe finished 7 th in last year’s Nedbank Runified Breaking Barriers 50km and followed that up with an amazing 5 th place at Comrades on her debut. Kelly von Vliet in the colours of Nedbank running club will lead the local Mandela Bay hopefuls and is hoping to finish in the top 10.
Race director Nick Bester is confident of potential new world and age group records from this year’s event. “The athletes who have entered for this year’s event are world class and we look forward to them competing,” said Bester. “I have been in contact with a number of athletes who are excited that their training has gone well such as Hannah Lindholm who is looking forward to her ultra-debut and we look forward to welcoming them to the friendly city and our event.”
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