The third running of the Eastern Cape Liquor Board Awareness Run over options of 21.1km, 4km and 2km on a crisp Sunday morning delivered some outstanding running from both local and visiting runners to the province.
Organised by Real Gijimas, who ensured that two of their previous members, both top Border athletes and now running for meaningful clubs in Western Province and KwaZulu-Natal, were invited to the event.
Race organiser Alex Kambule suggested the invitees chase a time of 66 minutes on a course which included up hills such as the renowned Diesel Depot hills out of Dorchester Heights to the top of Western Avenue, a nightmare trainer in Vincent Heights and followed by Beaconhurst Drive, all having softened the legs by running the equivalent downhills such as the one past Christian Centre and later Old Transkei Road.
From the start at Beacon Bay Crossing there was a bus of fine runners heading the field, however, by the time they reached Dorchester Heights, Cwenga Nose, of Phantane AC,in KZN, had established a meaningful lead.
When they reached the first timing mat at 11.1km, the gap was one minute and 15 seconds, while Border’s current top half marathoner, Luyolo Ngcongolo, of Powered Up Runners, was lying third just eight seconds off.
The next mat was placed at 15.1km and had Nose’s lead down by a mere two seconds on the previous reading, while Ngcongolo was now 29 seconds adrift in third place.
The race was certainly on despite the gaps.
Nose had fuel left in his legs and his acceleration saw him power to the finish in 65 min 51 sec and answering Kambule’s call.
He beat second-placed Malusi, of Time Bank Langa, by 2:28.
Ngcongolo, despite having run an interprovincial half marathon for Border at the Nelson Mandela Bay Half Marathon the previous morning, dug deep to finish third to the two fresher-legged runners and was a mere 21 seconds behind Malusi.
He told the Daily Dispatch at the finish: “That was tough.”
The women’s race looked like it would be a runaway victory for Black Diamond AC’s Lusanda Bomvana, who led from the start.
In second and third were sisters, Caryn Lategan and Lauren Ranger, who had also run the Nelson Mandela Bay Half the previous day and also in Border colours and at which they finished second and third in the 40+ category.
In Dorchester Heights, they were running well, but looked like they would be happy to settle for a good finish and little more, while lying second and third with their Easy Equities Born2Run clubmate, Andrea Ranger in fourth.
At the 11.1km mat, Bomvana was a sound two minutes, 16 seconds in the lead.
However, there were still hills that lay ahead.
At 15.1km Lategan had narrowed the gap to 1:15, while Lauren Ranger remained in third and Andrea in fourth.
Lategan showed no signs of the previous day’s race in her legs and gave chase, eventually passing Bomvana and winning in 88:05.
Bomvana was second in 89:32, a gap of 1:27.
The two Rangers, meanwhile, were running their hearts out and finished in third and fourth with times of 92:29 and 96:34, respectively.
Lategan, who has not always embraced racing over hills, said after the race: “I think the tough course suited me better than the NMB one.”
The 2026 Comrades is an up race, and she is currently one of Border’s top runners in that challenge.
In the men’s age groups, Gift Chigomararwa, of Nedbank, was the first 35+ runner and Anele Dlamini, of Black Diamond, won the 40+ in finishing fourth overall in 69:35.
Siyabulela Madlavana, of Nedbank, took the 50+ in 86:03, while Desmond Zibi was meaningfully faster still in the 60+ category with an 83:46.
The first junior was Brac’s Endinako Mpondo in 73:15, with Lizole Vara, of Real Gijimas, second in 75:31.
The first three female veteran 40+ runners all came from Easy Equities Born2Run through Lategan and the two unrelated Rangers, while the first 35+ runner was someone who has shown her mettle in numerous races of late, Effe Mayo, of Pumpkins. Her time was 1:42:05.
The top masters 50+ women were Fundiswa Nxeve, of Brac, in 2:01:20 and Linda Goduka, of Original Mambas, in 2:02:59.
Sharon Bosch, of Old Selbornians, was the first 60+ woman in 2:07:54 and Brac’s Liyasanga Breakfast the first junior in 2:22:52.
• The incorrect version of this report was printed on Monday. We regret the error.
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