Southern Region Cross Country Championships

Zimbabwean Juwawo Wirrimayi and Poppy Mlambo of South Africa carried the day respectively in the senior men’s and women’s races at the Southern Africa Region Cross country Championship staged today.
 
The event brought together athletes from Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, and hosts Botswana.

Men’s 12km
 
Wirrimayi started off cautiously in the men’s 12km. Urged on by the home crowd Botswana’s  Boiphemelo Selagaboy and Ndabili Bashingile set a blistering pace over the first of the six lap contest. Wirrimayi made his move at the start of the third lap opening a 60m gap which he sustained for the rest of the race. Wirrimayi covered the distance in 36:32. Selagaboy (36:43), Lesotho’s Moeketsi Mosuhli (36:44), Bashingile (36:55) and South Africa’s Jeffrey Gwebu (37:10) followed.
 
“In the early stages of the race I was uncertain how my body would react having travelled by bus all night from Bulawayo in Zimbabwe (650km) to reach Kumakwane for this competition. It is a huge bonus winning after such a long journey. I look forwards to a better race at the World Cross country Championships in (Fukuoka) Japan than last year,” said a delighted Wirrimayi.

Women’s 8km
 
Earlier on the senior women’s 8km rapidly turned to a duel between the Zimbabweans and South Africans. Mlambo, and her South African teammates Mabuza Semangele, Marelise Retief, Takalane Nthulani took the lead from the starter’s gun. While the Zimbabweans Samukaliso Moyo, Tabeth Tsatsa and Margaret Mahohoma appeared content tacking themselves behind them.
 
Sensing trouble Mlambo made her move halfway through the four lap race. Breaking away she created a 50metre lead gap over the third lap. It was only in the final lap that the Zimbabweans responded. Moyo gave chase but had left too much for too late. Mlam bo clocked 27:50 to win in a convincing style. Moyo (28:04) was runner up ahead of her teammates Tsatsa (28:47), and Mahohoma (28:56)
 
 “Winning this particular race meant a lot to me because it is the third consecutive victory at this annual event. The Zimbabweans are more experienced. So I set off to create a gap to make it difficult for them to take turns burning us out. This victory has filled me with hope that I can finish in the top three in the 6km at the World Student Cross country Championship in (Algiers) Algeria next month,” Mlambo disclosed.

Men’s 4km

The race in which the winner was hardest to predict was the senior men’s 4km. South Africans Mandla Maseko, Sello Mahase, Lucky Mohale took turns leading the tightly bunched frontrunners, which also included Lesotho’s Moeketsi Mosuhli and Charles Soza of Zimbabwe.
 
The decisive moment came in the last 600m when Maseko broke away. Only Mosuhli and Soza responded. Maseko dug deep to hold off Mosuhli and win in 11:28. As runner up Mosuhli (11:28) gave Lesotho their only individual medal, while Soza (11:36) clinched the bronze medal.
 
“This was a difficult race as because of the series of “farleks” during the first three kilometers. Team tactics enabled us wear down Mosuhli who responded to every surge. I am just happy that I improved on the bronze medal I won last year in Mauritius. This year I want to improve on my performance at the World championships,” said Maseko.

Other races
 
South Africans also won the junior men’s 8km, junior women’s 6km, and senior women’s 4km through debutants Siyabonga Nkonde (24:46), Lenah Lotter (20:12) and Chanelle Olivier (13:31) respectively. Most countries used the event as their final trials before the World Cross country Championships in Fukuoka, Japan next month.

Mark Ouma for the IAAF
 
 
SELECTED RESULTS

Junior Men 8km
1 Siyabonga Nkonde (South Africa) 24:46
2 Esau Nkosi (South Africa) 25:01
3 Nkosivelile Ntantiso (South Africa) 25:08
4 Mangaile Khatala (Lesotho) 25:25
5 Joshua Sabawo (Zimababwe) 25:40
 
Senior Men 4 km
1 Mandla Maseko (South Africa) 11:28
2 Moeketsi Mosuhli (Lesotho) 11:28
3 Charles Soza (Zimbabwe) 11:36
4 Sello Mahase (South Africa) 11:45
5 Lucky Mohale (South Africa) 11:52
 
Senior Men 12km
1 Juwawo Wirrimayi (Zimbabwe) 36:32
2 Boiphemelo Selagaboy (Botswana) 36:43
3 Moeketsi Mosuhli (Lesotho) 36:44
4 Ndabili Bashingile (Botswana) 36:55
5 Jeffrey Gwebu (South Africa) 37:10
 
Junior Women 6km
1 Lenah Lotter (South Africa) 20:12
2 Varaidzo Shindi (Zimbabwe) 21:01
3 Tereza Master (Malawi) 21:14
4 Olivia Chitate (Zimbabwe) 21:34
5 Lesedi Tumelo (Botswana) 21:43
 
Senior Women 4km
1 Chanelle Olivier (South Africa) 13:31
2 Rene Kalmer (South Africa) 13:35
3 Lisa van der Merwe (South Africa) 13:37
4 Teresa Master (Malawi) 13:37
5 Margaret Mahohoma (Zimbabwe) 13:46
 
Senior Women 8km
1 Poppy Mlambo (South Africa) 27:50
2 Samukaliso Moyo (Zimbabwe) 28:04
3 Tabeth Tsat sa (Zimbabwe) 28:47
4 Margaret Mahohoma (Zimbabwe) 28:56
5 Marelise Retief (South Africa) 29:08