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Stephen Muzhingi

Noel Munzabwa in Manzini, Swaziland
ULTRA marathon runner Stephen Muzhingi broke back into the top 10 of the Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon after clinching eighth place in his best time in five years.

Muzhingi completed the 56km race in three hours 15 minutes and 47 seconds. This was about eight minutes slower than his time of 3:08:08 which won him the 2012 Two Oceans Marathon and catapulted him into the history books, as one of only two male athletes to hold both the Comrades Marathon and Two Oceans Marathon titles simultaneously.

Derek Preiss is the only other runner who held both titles in 1975.

Injuries took their toll on Muzhingi causing his form to dip, but his time has been improving giving him some hope of springing a surprise in the Comrades Marathon set for June.

In 2008, Muzhingi clocked 3:15:28 and finished eighth, the same position he claimed on Saturday. He went on to finish third in the Comrades Marathon.

Meanwhile, his countryman Mike Fokorani failed to defend the title he won in 2016 and finished outside the top 10. Collen Makaza of the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services was the best local runner in Saturday’s race, finishing fourth in 3:12:17, which was just within three minutes of winner Lungile Gongqa.

In the women’s marathon Tabitha Tsatsa was the only Zimbabwean in the top 10, finishing eighth in 4:04:08. In the women’s half marathon, Rutendo Nyahora and Rudo Mhonderwa finished eighth and 10th in a time of 1:18:11 and 1:19:53 respectively.

Muzhingi’s times in Two Oceans

27th in 2006 (3:22:00);
8th in 2008 (3:15:28);
4th in 2009 (3:12:05);
4th in 2010 (3:10:35);
5th in 2011 (3:09:46);
1st in 2012 (3:08:08);
35th in 2013 (3:27:33);
29th in 2014 (3:27:47);
7th in 2015 (3:17:28)
8th in 2017 (3:15:47)
Comrades Marathon
115th in 2005 (6:40:37);
51st in 2006 (6:24:26);
7th in 2007 (5:40:19);
3rd in 2008 (5:39:40);
1st in 2009 (5:23:27);
1st in 2010 (5:29:01);
1st in 2011 (5:32:46);
6th in 2012 (5:38:02);
10th in 2013 (5:52:38);
4th in 2014 (5:35:18);
8th in 2015 (5:56:36)
2011 : 33rd in New York City Marathon (2:29:10)

Other performances: 4th in Township to Township 50km 2010 (3:03:48); 1st in Chatsworth 52km 2009 (3:07:45); 1st in South Coast Marathon 2009 (2:27:23); 1st in Newlands Marathon 2008 (2:33:41); 1st in Chatsworth 52km 2008 (3:04:39).

@NoelMunzabwa