15 Sep 2019

Rapula Diphoko has clinched the 2019 Orange Selibe Phikwe Marathon men’s 42km race title and walked home with a gold medal and P25 000 cash.

A relaxed Diphoko aged 30, wrapped up his race with a 2:24:07 as he drifted away from his closest rival, 33-year- old Kenya’s Isaac Kigen. Kigen hailed Diphoko as one of their own in Kenya.

In a post-race interview, Diphoko attributed his success to new training methods, which he adhered to. 

After realising that he paid little to no attention to long distance running in preparation for the last year event, Diphoko extended his running distance to between 45 and 50km.

Diphoko, who beamed with elation and pride at his feat, said it was of utmost importance to sow and endure pain at training so as to reap the fruits victory at the event.

“You can see that I completed this marathon without a stream of sweat because I left the pain at training,” bragged Diphoko, who added that intense and longer distance training helps him relax during the competition.

Diphoko actually was not fazed by the competition from the Kenyans, saying that he was in control of his race the best way he could.

Not only did Diphoko win the main race, he also offered free advice to fellow Batswana marathoners.

“As Batswana athletes we lack team spirit and hardly advise each other on how best to tackle the race.”

However, the 2019 Orange Selibe Phikwe marathon male champion expressed happiness that some of his compatriots took his warnings along the race and subsequently enjoyed a beautiful run. 

He said often he called them to stick to his pace so as to save their energies for when it would be needed most.

“Marathon actually starts at 30km mark because that is the time when all competitors are starting to slow down and experiencing lower levels of energy. 

However, this is the time when I start to charge and surge forward,” Diphoko revealed.

For women in the same race, Monicah Mengichu of Kenya summed up the ladies long morning with a spectacular yet sorry finish. 

Crossing the finish line after 3:03:34, Mengichu pulled to a near collapse before she was helped down by the marshals. In fact, all the four leading women halted to a collapse after crossing the line.

By observation and confirmation, the ladies endured the battering of the 42km race that saw them losing track not once, but thrice as per their narration.

Worse, they claimed they had to endure a taxing 30km without water and a help from the sparsely distributed race marshals. Compounding their problems was the fact that, as they claim, the police vehicle that led the race was ahead with men and ladies struggled with navigating a course that was not adequately marked, as per their expectations.

After making it past the line, unlike their male counterparts, the women consumed gallons of water whilst simultaneously drenching themselves in an endeavor to cool themselves; following an exhausting over three hours of pounding the terrains of Selibe Phikwe roads.

Mengichu, who threw up after a few sips of water attributed the women’s state to shortage of water along the course. She also claimed that her time was dented by losing the track a couple times.

However, she has announced her return next year to defend her title.

Other winners were 10km junior female, Laone Moloi of Bobonong who scooped a gold medal and P5 000 after running 36:51. 

Her counterpart Austen Botshabelo, still from Bobonong Junior School scooped a 10km male junior at 32:10 and won a gold and P5 000 as well.

Mishack Sithole of Zimbabwe won men’s 21km race at 1:01:21 and won himself a gold medal and P9 000 whilst his compatriot Rudo Mhonderwa emulated the same at the female category. She clocked 1:15:15. ends