Stephen Mokoka will have the looming Paris Olympics at the back of his mind when he takes part in the Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town on Saturday.
The Hollywood Athletics Club star, who will be one of the favourites on his debut in the race this weekend, is using the 56km ultra-marathon as part of his preparation for his second attempt at the Olympics marathon in August.
“Yes, this is part of preparations for the Olympic Games. We are working on the volume hills, that’s why we chose to do Two Oceans because we know it’s a hilly course,” Mokoka said.
“At the Olympics we are going to run loops and the elevation is about 400m, so having to run the heavy hills of Two Oceans will prepare my legs very well to handle the route [in Paris].
“The target at the Olympics is to finish good and strong because at the previous two Olympics there was a time when I was 18th at 10,000m and the previous one I did not finish the marathon. I am hoping this time it will be better, I am hoping to finish in a top position.”
Mokoka, 39, did not finish the marathon at the Covid-19-delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics in 2021, but said he gained knowledge and valuable experience from that race.
“The lesson I learnt was don’t prepare for a summer event in cold weather — that was the biggest mistake I have made in my whole life.
“I am grateful I have joined Hollywood Athletics Club and together with the director of elite runners [Manfred Seidler] we have agreed they will help me go abroad to train at a place where there are hills and the weather will be conducive for me to prepare after Two Oceans.”
South Africa has not had an Olympics marathon medal since the legendary Josia Thugwane stunned the world to win the event in Atlanta in 1996 and Mokoka is hoping for a podium finish.
“It is not pressure — when Mr Thugwane won the Olympics in 1996 he was training in New Mexico and in my case I was training in South Africa — that makes a big difference.
“Thugwane got the support to stay that long in camp, acclimatise and be ready for the Olympics and that is different to someone who was staying in South Africa and training in winter while you are going to run in heat and humidity.
“I would like to get a medal at the Olympics because Mr Thugwane is my role model and source of inspiration for me.”
The Paris Olympics run from July 26 to August 11.
In the Two Oceans elite men’s section, Mokoka will be under pressure from the likes of defending champion Givemore Mudzinganyama, , Edndale Belachew of Ethiopia, Onalenna Khonkhobe and Nkosikhona “The Pitbull” Mhlakwana.
There will be much interest in the women’s section where Irvette van Zyl will be looking to wrest the title from defending champion Gerda Steyn, who is eyeing her fifth Two Oceans triumph, and Adele Broodryk.
The 56km ultra marathon, which is widely regarded as one of the most breathtaking courses in the world due to the natural splendour that Chapman’s Peak, Muizenberg, St James, Kalk Bay, Constantia and Newlands offer, has attracted 14,000 runners this year. The half-marathon will feature about 18,000 athletes on Sunday.
The start time for the 56km race will be 5.15am on Newlands Main Road at the intersection with the corner of Dean Street. The finish is at the rugby fields of the University of Cape Town upper campus in Rondesbosch.
The cut-off for finishers is expected to be at 12.32pm, seven hours from the time the last batch of runners begin their race.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.