The race, which has became a traditional event in South Africa, runs under the rules of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), Athletics South Africa (ASA) and Western Province Athletics (WPA). The race is set for April 7 in Cape Town and has an overall distance of 56km.
Muzhingi, who has vowed to defend the Comrades Marathon title for the fourth consecutive time, told Standardsport that he would use the race as part of his preparations for the Comrades Marathon, set for June 3.
“I have been participating in this race for a while and it’s a foundation to my main race. Last year I took part in the same event and finished fifth,” Muzhingi said.
Last year’s edition of the same race was won by South Africa’s George Ntshiliza who stopped the clock at 03:08:31.
Behind him was Motlhokoa Nkhabutlane of Lesotho who clocked 03:08:49. Nkhabutlane’s countrymen, Tsotang Maine and Moeketsi Mosuhli, were on third and fourth position in 03:09:19 and 03:09:40 respectively.
In a statement, the Two Oceans Marathon champion, Ntshiliza (32), a professional athlete from Nedbank Running Club in Port Elizabeth, said he would be out to defend his title.
“I am totally focused on the Two Oceans,” Ntshiliza said.
“I have done all my necessary long distance and strength training and now I’m concentrating purely on the speed work.”
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He became the first South African to win the event since Bethuel Netshifhefhe in 2007.
Meanwhile, Nedbank Running Club has captured renowned athletes into their books ahead of major athletics events.
The athletics club is home to a number of Zimbabweans such as Brighton Chipere, Lizzie Chokore, Rutendo Nyahora, Lewis Masunda and Sharon Tavengwa. The club has brewed a shocker by bringing in Russian Natalia Volgina and Svitlana Stanko of Ukraine ahead of the Two Oceans Marathon.
“Volgina and Svitlana will be donning the Nedbank Green Dream Team kit for the 56km Old Mutual Two Oceans Ultra Marathon,” wrote Nick Bester, their national manager.
Volgina (35) is the wife of Comrades Marathon participant and gold medallist Alexei Volgin.
The lady has an impressive history in the Two Oceans, having won in 2002 and finishing second to Gwen van Lingen in 2001 and Hungary’s Simona Staicu in 2003.
Volgina returns to ultra running having spent the last eight years pursuing her marathon dreams and believes she is now ready to resume challenges beyond 42km.
