Gelant, Molotsane take SA titles
[caption id="attachment_228356" align="aligncenter" width="604"] Elroy Gelant, of Athletics Central North West, wins the title during the ASA 10km Championships in Nelspruit
Picture: GALLO IMAGES/ROGER SEDRES[/caption]
Elroy Gelant and Kesa Molotsane were the star performers in Mbombela on Saturday, earning the national men’s and women’s titles respectively at the ASA 10km Championships.
Representing Athletics Central North West (ACNW), Gelant launched a late kick to retain his title in the men’s race, covering the distance in 29:08.
Gladwin Mzazi took the silver medal in 29:15 and fellow Central Gauteng Athletics team member Precious Mashele, the national cross-country champion, was third in 29:17. Eastern Province athletes Melikhaya Frans (30:04) and Adriaan Gerwel (30:25) were ninth and 16th respectively.
“I’m very glad defending my title and I’m very happy with my performance,” Gelant said. “It was very technical from start to finish, so I just focused on my strength towards the end and my speed.
“The last kilometre, Gladwin and I broke away and it was a sprint to the finish.”
Mzazi, in second place, was satisfied with his performance as well.
“I felt very good, I just didn’t have the speed to go with Elroy at the end,” Mzazi, who led Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) to the gold medal in the team division, said.
Aiming for her maiden SA title on the road, Molotsane broke away with less than 3km remaining to win the women’s race in 33:38.
She finished 20 seconds clear of Nolene Conrad of Western Province Athletics. Glenrose Xaba of Athletics Gauteng North earned bronze in 34:25.
Defending champion Lebo Phalula (CGA) was fourth, a further 22 seconds behind. Eastern Province’s Ntombesinthu Mfunzi (37:35) finished 13th.
A total of 291 athletes, representing 14 of Athletics South Africa’s 17 provinces, were in the provisional entry lists for the annual 10km championships.
