Veterans Gelant, Mokoka chuffed to achieve world champ medals

Even when Elroy Gelant fell off the pack at the world road-running championships in Riga at the weekend, he refused to give up, fighting hard to a personal best and securing South Africa a team bronze.

Gelant, fellow veteran Stephen Mokoka and young gun Thabang Mosiako spearheaded the nation to its first men’s half-marathon podium in 24 years.

With the first three finishers for each nation counting, Gelant crossed the line in 13th overall in 1hr 00 min 56 sec, behind Mosiako, sixth in a 59:52 best, and Stephen Mokoka, 11th in 1:00:29.

Precious Mashele, the fourth member of the team, was 19th in 1:01:13.

“It means a lot,” 37-year-old Gelant said after landing at Johannesburg's OR Tambo airport on Tuesday morning.

“After all of the years in terms of persevering and commitment, it means everything.

“When I fell off the pack at 12km I could see Stephen and Thabang were still there and I knew there was no way I was going to give up.”

He and Mokoka were part of the team that ended fourth in Copenhagen in 2014 and he didn’t want to miss out again.

“Winning a medal in the team event was the plan from the start. When Enoch Skosana called me a few months back, that is what he told me.”

For Mokoka, who finished fifth in the marathon at the 2019 world championships, it was also a maiden medal in South African colours.

“I can say I’m grateful about the medal and the team being sent over. It’s a great feeling,” said the 38-year-old, who competed at his maiden half-marathon championship in 2008.

Mosiako, 28, was initially chuffed to have finished inside the top 10, but he believed a delay getting to the third water table at 17km possibly cost him a top-three placing.

“I just wanted to be top 10,” he said. “According my preparations, I was ready for sub-60.”

He started tiring at 19km, but the trek to the water table 2km earlier cost him the most. He was on the left of the pack and couldn’t find a way to get across to the table on the right.

“I had to let the pack through before I could fetch my bottle. It cost me time — I could have made top three.”

Mosiako said Gelant and Mokoka played a key part in the team. “They were a great help. These guys have experience, I have no experience.”

The runners were the first competitors from this country to feel the effects of South Africa being declared non-compliant by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada).

Though the punitive consequences are only set to kick in in about two weeks, World Athletics got the ball rolling.

One of the consequences is not allowing the South African flag to be flown at international sporting events.

At the three water tables in the half-marathon, positioned at 7km, 13km and 17km, the flag was replaced with the national abbreviation, RSA.

But with team officials in kit manning the tables, the runners had no problems receiving their drinks.

The four men were allowed to fly the national flag on the podium receiving their medal.

Mosiako has yet to find out what he will race next. Mokoka is doing the Cape Town Marathon the Sunday after next, while Gelant is looking at running a marathon in Spain next year. 

Mokoka and Gelant are hoping to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics, though Gelant says if he doesn’t make it, he’ll move up to ultras, starting with the 56km at the Two Oceans Marathon.