Marathon News - Muzhingi, Elena Nurgalieva Win Two Oceans Marathon

Apr-7-2012

Muzhingi, Elena Nurgalieva Win Two Oceans Marathon
by David Monti with Riel Hauman
(c) Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved

(07-Apr) -- Zimbabwe's Stephen Muzhingi and Russia's Elena Nurgalieva won today's 43rd running of the Two Oceans Marathon, a 56-kilometer road race held in Cape Town, South Africa. The Two Ocean's is South Africa's second most important ultramarathon after the Comrades.

Muzhingi rebounded from a disastrous ING New York City Marathon last November --where he missed the top athletes bus to the start then ran 2:29:10-- and clocked 3:08:08 today to win by a narrow 27 seconds over Henry Moyo of Malawi. It was Muzhingi's first victory at the Two Oceans and the sixth by an athlete from Zimbabwe.

For Nurgalieva, today's win in 3:41:55 represented her fourth Two Oceans victory, and the seventh by one of the Nurgalieva Twins (her sister Olesya, who did not compete this year, has won the race three times). Second place went to Russia's Natalia Volgina, over three minutes back. American Devon Crosby-Helms, a 2:38:55 marathoner, took third in 3:47:30.

The top South Africans at today's race were 40 year-old Gert Thys, who finished fourth in the men's race, and Adinda Kruger, who finished sixth in the women's contest.

TOP RESULTS:
MEN -
1. Stephen Muzhingi (ZIM) 3:08:08
2. Henry Moyo (MAW) 3:08:35
3. Collen Makaza (ZIM) 3:08:45
4. Gert Thys (RSA), 40, 3:09:42
5. Bongumusa Mthembu (RSA) 3:10:16
6. Mthandazo Qhina (RSA) 3:10:59
7. Tsotang Maine (LES) 3:11:51
8. Lucas Nonyana (RSA) 3:12:03
9. Odwa Tunyiswa (RSA) 3:12:41
10. Kimutai Lezan (KEN) 3:12:51

WOMEN -
1. Elena Nurgalieva (RUS) 3:41:55
2. Natalia Volgina (RUS) 3:45:29
3. Devon Crosby-Helms (USA) 3:47:30
4. Mamorallo Tjoka (LES) 3:48:50
5. Samukeliso Moyo (ZIM) 3:49:10
6. Adinda Kruger (RSA) 3:50:13
7. Lizih Chokore (ZIM) 3:52:26
8. Ntombesintu Mfunzi (RSA) 3:52:39
9. Tshifhiwa Mundalamo (RSA) 3:53:00
10. Paulina Njeya (RSA) 3:53:29