The excitement surrounding the 2024 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon has reached a new height, with the event now fully booked, drawing an impressive 21,000 participants.
This milestone is largely thanks to the success of the #YouDoCount campaign, which has galvanized both local and international runners.
Marathon’s Rising Prestige
The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon continues to solidify its reputation as Africa’s premier marathon.
The event is eagerly pursuing a spot in the prestigious Abbott World Marathon Majors (AWMM), and this year’s turnout and elite competition only add to its growing stature.
Star-Studded Field
This year’s marathon promises to be unforgettable, featuring the strongest elite field ever seen in Africa.
The lineup includes athletes with extraordinary credentials:
- 2 Gold World Champion Medals
- 1 Silver World Champion Medal
- 1 Olympic Bronze Marathon Medal
- 1 All African Games Gold Medal
- 13 Abbott World Marathon Majors Medals (5 Gold)
- 1 World Record Holder
- 10 World Athletics Gold Label Elites
With a $50,000 prize pool up for grabs, the stakes are higher than ever.
The winners of both the men’s and women’s races will each receive $25,000, with second and third place earning $15,000 and $10,000, respectively.
Race Director Barry Van Blerk is thrilled about the event, noting, “This year’s Sanlam Cape Town Marathon is set to feature the best marathon elite field ever assembled on African soil.
With such a substantial prize pool, we anticipate a phenomenal level of competition and, weather permitting, the course records will definitely be challenged.”
South African Record Contenders
All eyes will be on South African runners Glenrose Xaba and Cian Oldknow as they aim to make history.
Xaba, making her marathon debut, has already broken Elana Meyer’s 23-year-old 10km record and excelled in various distances.
Her transition to the marathon will be closely watched as she poses a significant challenge to established runners.
Cian Oldknow, with a marathon personal best of 2:25:08 from the Seville Marathon earlier this year, is also a strong contender.
Having been crowned SA Marathon champion in April with a time of 2:29:46, Oldknow is determined to break the South African women’s marathon record, setting up a thrilling competition with Xaba.
Defending Champions Return
The defending champions, Tsige Haileslase and Adane Kebede Gebre from Ethiopia, are back to defend their titles.
Haileslase, who set a personal best of 2:24:17 last year, is aiming for back-to-back victories.
Gebre will face intense competition as he seeks another win against a formidable field.
International Stars Join the Race
The marathon will also feature global running legends:
- Lelisa Desisa (Ethiopia): Former world champion (2019), All African Games winner, and victor of multiple international marathons including New York and Boston.
- Dennis Kipruto Kimetto (Kenya): 2014 marathon world record holder with a time of 2:02:51, and winner of major marathons in Berlin and Chicago.
- Mare Dibaba (Ethiopia): World champion and Olympic bronze medalist, continuing to dominate in marathon running.
- Tebello Ramakongoana (Lesotho): Seventh place finisher at the Paris Olympics with a marathon PB of 2:07:58 (2024).
Course Records and Expectations
The course records, held by Stephen Mokoka (2:08:32 for men, 2018) and Meseret Dinke Meleka (2:24:02 for women, 2022), are set to be challenged.
With the South African marathon records of 2:06:33 for men and 2:24:03 for women within reach, 2024 might witness new national records.
Race organizers have collaborated closely with the City of Cape Town to ensure a seamless and safe experience for participants and spectators.
JP Smith, Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, praised the efforts, saying, “The City’s Events Coordination Committee has been diligently working behind the scenes with race management to ensure a safe and secure marathon route.
We’re looking forward to providing an excellent platform for these elite athletes to pursue their best performances.”
What’s Next?
With such an impressive lineup of athletes and the anticipation of a South African marathon record showdown, the 2024 Cape Town Marathon promises to be one of the most exciting races of the year.
The event will take place on Sunday, October 20. For more details, visit the Cape Town Marathon website.
Good luck to all participants!
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