Mambo, Mash Central’s unsung hero

Sport
By Brian NkiwaneTHE fall of one man, is the rise of another.

News by the African Institute of Drug Free Sport (SAIDS) that this year’s Comrades Marathon winner Ludwick Mamabolo tested positive for the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine came as a blessing to Marko Mambo.

Mambo, who finished fourth in the race, is keeping his fingers crossed that Mamabolo fails the B-sample test to ascertain the A-sample.Confirmation of the results will see Mambo moving one place up, thus having a place on the podium. This will also mean that his prize money of R55 000 for finishing fourth would double to R110 000 for third place.

Born on June 13 1971, Mambo was just 2:44 from presenting himself with a birthday present 10 days before as his time of 5:33:44 saw him on fourth position, thus missing out on the podium.

However, the imminent disqualification of Mamabolo presents Mambo a place in the sun on his debut appearance in the gruelling Comrades Marathon.  It took three times winner Stephen Muzhingi four attempts in the competition before finally winning in 2009.

Speaking to Standardsport from his Bindura base, Mambo said the race was not as competitive as he had imagined.

“This was my first time to take part in this event. It was unfortunate I made my debut in the down run which I believe I am not good at. But for next year, I promise the title is coming back home. I managed to discover all my mistakes from the first race, so if I work on those ones for the next race, then I will be home and dry,” Mambo said.

The 41-year-old long distance runner is contracted to Mr Price Athletics Club in South Africa. Having terrorised the South African athletics scene for the past decade — winning a number of titles, Mambo revealed that he wanted to try his luck in the Comrades Marathon three years ago but was deterred by a nagging muscle injury on his right thigh.

“I have been running in South Africa for the past decade, winning a number of accolades in the process. I won the Tow Oceans Marathon three times, that is in 2004, 2005 and 2008. In 2009 I finished second.

“From that time I had problems with my right leg. I then took part in the Two Oceans in 2011 but performed dismally and came out 17th.”