18 June 2007

Russia's Leonid Shvetsov turned in a stunning performance in the Comrades Marathon on Sunday, winning the race in five hours 20 minutes and 49 seconds to shatter Bruce Fordyce's 21-year-old "down" run record over three minutes.

It was a sensational run by the American-based doctor, who finished a huge nine-and-a-half minutes ahead of second-placed Grigory Murzin.

"After finishing second six years ago, when I had felt so good physically nearing the finish at the Sahara Stadium in Durban, I had always dreamt of being first home," Shvetsov said afterwards.

'My everything'
"It was my dream. It was my goal. It was my desire. It was my everything."

Fordyce, a nine-times winner of the race, congratulated Shvetsov on his record run, saying: "My time of 5:24.07 is now a thing of the past. Records come and Records go. But titles will always stay."

Shvetsov, a world class standard marathoner with a personal best of 2:09:16, finished 13th in the Olympic Marathon in Athens in 2004.

The Comrades Marathon is more than double the distance of a standard marathon, but the Russian took the event by the scruff of the neck, electing to run his own race, and when he opened up a lead he simply kept going.

Shvetsov pulled clear of South African athletes Sipho Ngomane and Leboka Noto with almost 30 kilometres remaining in the race, a move many long-time Comrades watchers regarded as an error, saying he was making his move too soon. However, he just kept pulling further and further ahead.

When he reached the finish area at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead, a clearly thrilled Shvetsov had more than enough energy to celebrate, raising his arms in victory as he ran towards the finish tape, and afterwards exchanging high-fives with spectators.

Top 10
Grigory Murzin secured a Russian one-two, after three South African "down" run wins in succession, when he crossed the finish line in 5:30:20.

Mncedisi Mkhize was the first South African finisher, clocking 5:32:58 to take third.

2003 winner Fusi Nhlapo captured fourth, just less than a minute later, followed by Leboka Noto.

The rest of the top 10 finishers, all of whom won Comrades gold medals, were, in order, Oleg Kharitonov, Stephen Muzhingi, Sipho Ngomane, Lucas Nonyana, and Godfrey Sesenyamotse.

Petros Sesibo pocketed R10 000 for reaching the halfway mark first. To win the money, though, he also had to finish the race, a stipulation that prevents athletes running only half the distance but still being rewarded.

Sister act
There was a familiar winning name in the women's race: Nurgalieva. This time, though, it wasn't three-time champion Elena, as her sister Olesya turned the tables to claim her first Comrades Marathon win.

The twins finished one-two, with Olesya recording a time of 6:10:11 and Elena ending 29 seconds back.

Madina Biktigirova, the winner of the 2007 Two Oceans Marathon, made it a Russian one-two-three. Her inexperience in the Comrades was exposed over the second half as she fell off the pace.

When Biktigirova won the 56-kilometre Two Oceans Marathon, that was the furthest she had run in a race. The step up to the 89.5-kilometre distance of the Comrades proved to be a big learning experience.

SA's best ... again
Farwa Mentoor was South Africa's best woman performer for the sixth year in succession, capturing fourth place, a minute-and-a-half behind Biktigirova.

Two more Russians followed, with Marina Myshlyanova in fifth and Alena Vinitskaya in sixth. Yolanda McLean was the second South African home, in seventh place.

Germany's Maria Bak, a three-time winner of the race, finished eighth, with Adina Kruger in ninth and veteran Grace De Oliviera in tenth.

Top 10 men

1. Leonid Shvetsov (Russia) 5:20:49
2. Grigory Murzin (Russia) 5:30:20
3. Mncedizsi Mkhize (SA) 5:32:58
4. Fusi Nhlapo (SA) 5:33:56
5. Leboka Noto (Lesotho) 5:35:35
6. Oleg Kharitonov (Russia) 5:40:02
7. Stephen Muzhinai (Zimbabwe)5:40:19
8. Sipho Ngomane (RSA) 5:45:29
9. Lucas Nonyana (SA) 5:47.40
10. Godfrey Sesenyamotse (SA) 5:48:26.

1. Olesya Nurgalieva (Russia) 6:10:11
2. Elena Nurgalieva (Russia) 6:10:40
3. Madina Biktigirova (Russia) 6:22:03
4. Farwa Mentoor (SA) 6:24:30
5. Marina Myshlanova (Russia) 6:25:26
6. Alena Vinitskaya (Russia) 6:28:51
7. Yolande McLean (SA) 6:29:55
8. Maria Bak (Germany) 6:33:56
9. Adinda Kruger (SA) 6:38:38
10. Grace De Oliviera (SA) 6:57:36

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	Run between the capital of Kwazulu-Natal province, Pietermaritzburg, and the coastal city of Durban, the 90-kilometre Comrades Marathon is arguably the world's greatest ultra-marathon (Photo by Stephen Pryke, copyright South African Tourism)

	Bruce Fordyce completely dominated the Comrades Marathon in the 1980s, winning the ultra-marathon nine times between 1981 and 1990. His 'down' run record of 05:24:07, set in 1986, stood for 21 years before finally being broken in 2007 (Photo: The Sports Trust)

	Nhlapo takes Comrades 2003 Comrades 2004: Kotov triples up Young gun takes Comrades 2005 Athletics: Wally Hayward Russians rule Comrades 2006 Athletics: Bruce Fordyce Comrades Marathon Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon

	Comrades Marathon

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