'I'm very happy' - Tshangase downs Mphakathi to win Harry Gwala Marathon

A relative unknown to many South African road running fans outside KwaZulu-Natal at the beginning of 2025, Sinethemba Tshangase is slowly becoming a household name thanks to a number of eye-catching performances this season. Yesterday the Nedbank Running Club top runner bested a quality field including 2023 Africanbank Soweto Marathon champion Ntsindiso Mphakathi to win the tenth edition of the Harry Gwala Marathon in his hometown.

Tshangase being seconded by his coach Nene on the way to a memorable victory. Photo Credit: Mthandeni Nene.

"Everything went well. The race was well organised. There was plenty of water along the route. I can't fault anything. The coach always tells me to go out and enjoy the race without any pressure and grab the opportunity to win if one presents itself. As a runner who comes from uMzimkhulu which is in the Harry Gwala district, I’m very happy to have been able to win a big race like this one today," he said after stopping the clock in 2:20:47 as Mphakathi grabbed second (2:21:00) with Sphamandla Nkosi in third (2:21:12).

What makes the victory all the more remarkable is that it came just five weeks after the 26-year-old finished as the runner-up at the Balwin Sport Peninsula Marathon in Cape Town which doubled as the Athletics South Africa (ASA) Marathon Championships. Speaking to #TheTopRunner, Tshangase revealed that they didn't think that he would get selected to represent KwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA) at those SA Champs on 16 February, which forced them to adjust their training programme to include two 42km races in two months.

Tshangase poses with his R60 000 winner's cheque. Photo Credit: Mthandeni Nene.

"Credit goes to my coach Mthandeni Nene. He must be very happy because when we went to run the SA Champs we hadn't prepared for that, but we had to respect the decision of the federation to include me in the KZNA team. So I'm very happy," said the man who claimed second place in the same race last year and also won the 2023 Capital City Marathon in Pietermaritzburg.

Meanwhile, Kenya's Rholex Kogo dominated the women's race as she cruised to a 2:42:10 triumph to take home the R60 000 winner's cheque. Now running for local club Umzimkhulu Striders, Jenet Mbhele gave the home crowd much to smile about when she ran 2:49:58 for second place. Comrades and Two Oceans Marathon gold medalist Nobukhosi Tshuma was third in 2:53:20.