Veteran road-runner Alina Armas had little trouble claiming the Rössing Marathon women’s main prize for the tenth occasion at Swakopmund on Saturday.
The 41-year-old, who last won the title in 2023, was in a class of her own as she finished in 02:45:31, nearly 20 minutes ahead of the next best runner who was none other than former fellow Olympian Beata Naigambo (44) making a return to competitive racing following a long lay-off.
Naigambo ran 03:03:22, with Risa Dreyer in third place posting 03:23:05.
Debutant Jesaya Matheus stormed to the men’s title. Matheus clocked two hours, 15 minutes and 52 seconds to win his maiden national marathon on the first attempt. Tangeni Sakaria was second after running 02:16:30 and Enock Haufiku took third place in 02:19:30.
The winners both received the pre-advertised N$20 000 case prize each, plus an additional N$20 000 development bonus.
These funds are aimed at assisting our winners to develop their sporting careers as Rössing Marathon champions over the remainder of the season.
“We hope that this support will go some way in helping to develop Namibia’s sport stars in being competitive on the world stage and bring international glory to Namibia,” says Rössing Uranium managing director Johan Coetzee.
Over 3 000 runners registered for the event, with a combined 2 037 completing the three race categories of 42.2km, 21.1km and 10km.
In the women’s half-marathon, Beata Jeremia was first in 01:17:09, followed by Lucia Andreki in 01:17:40 and Salmi Nduviteko in 01:18:32.
The men’s 21.1km winner was Simon Paulus (01:03:48), in second place was Fule Hamutima (01:08:51) and Vilho Paulus in third (01:09:15).
Meanwhile, Jeremia Shaliaxwe, who won the men’s main race in 2022, took the 10km this year in 30 minutes and 42 seconds, as Lisias Tiofelius finished second (30:52) and third was Megameno Mateus (31:39).
Similarly, last year’s Rössing Marathon women’s main race winner, Lavinia Hatope, also dropped down to the 10km, which she won in 34 minutes and four seconds.
Shipolo Shiyukifeni was second (39:26) and Sofia Kakonda third (40:37).
“As the sole sponsor of the popular road running event on the Athletics Namibia calendar,” Coetzee says, “Rössing does not seek commercial benefits through its social investment. We operate under the premise that doing the right thing by the community compliments doing the right thing for the business and for our shareholders.
“The Rössing Marathon is one of our key annual social investment initiatives, and the entry fees of the 10km run, together with the marathon and half-marathon, are donated to the Swakop Striders Athletics Club, in support of the development of local and especially less-privileged athletes, while all the entry fees collected for the 5km fun walk goes directly to the Cancer Association of Namibia in the fight against cancer,” says Coetzee.
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