He still is an amiable man, so amiable that if there is a stage of amiability beyond amiability, a sort-of supercharged or V8 amiability, Jordaan is your guy. This is why, when working at the Sunday Times in Johannesburg, my colleagues and I always referred to Jordaan not as “Captain Amiable” but as — wait for it — “the lugubrious walrus”.

In early 1996, Jordaan had reason to be proud. Kenya could not discharge her hosting responsibilities to the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations, so South Africa stepped into the breach in a stroke of fabulous luck. 

This was because, as hosts, South Africa qualified automatically for the competition using — get this — rugby grounds such as those in Bloem and Port Elizabeth as venues for the soon-to-be-hosted football. 

Jordaan was always careful about what he said during those years, a trend that has continued, but one of the few noteworthy statements he used to make at the time was that football in South Africa needed its own dedicated stadiums. Only when it had them could it be liberated from its historical and circumstantial association with rugby and, therefore, apartheid.

South Africa had played three matches in her qualifying group when news of her status as new Cup of Nations hosts emerged. The three matches included 1-0 wins over Madagascar and Mauritius, and an away draw against Zambia, otherwise known as the sovereign principality of King Kalusha Bwalya. 

Although handily placed, it was by no means a given that Bafana Bafana — as they were coming to be known — would qualify. Both Zambia and Gabon were ahead of them in qualifying when the news came through that Kenya were unable to put on the show.

So Jordaan had pretty good reason to be pleased that hot afternoon at the beginning of 1996. He would have even more reason to be so as the tournament progressed. South Africa beat Cameroon, one of the powerhouses of the African game at the time, 3-0 in her opening match, which filled Bafana and the nation with a hope veering dangerously close to hysteria.

The knockouts duly arrived. A narrow win over Algeria in a Saturday afternoon cloudburst couldn’t dampen South African expectations and, when Ghana were thumped 3-0 in the semi-final, it seemed as though we were being given permission to think the unthinkable.

South Africa’s passage at this stage of the tournament was helped by Nigeria’s absence.

Nelson Mandela had criticised the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa, the Nigerian environmental activist, by the Sani Abacha regime. In a fit of pique, Abacha had withdrawn Nigeria, the then cup holders, from the competition. Bafana would have needed to play Nigeria to take their title away from them. 

Instead, Bafana Bafana played Tunisia in the final. In the second half, Doc Khumalo played a diagonal ball crisp as a chicken wing to put through substitute striker Mark Williams, who made it 2-0 to the hosts. The Cup was venturing as far south as the continent stretched.

These were heady days for South Africa, South African football and the lugubrious Jordaan. The rand was still strong — or comparatively so — and locals were fond of talking about a quaint notion of the “Rainbow Nation”. Germany, England, France, the Netherlands and Brazil — a personal Jordaan favourite — ventured to these shores, or us to theirs, to play friendlies. It was probably a close-run thing as to who had bigger pulling power in those days: Mandela or Babeto, Dunga and Romario. Either way, Brazil were persuaded to arrive for the Nelson Mandela Challenge, in April 1996. 

David Elleray, one of the world’s most respected referees, took the whistle. The match started 20 minutes late because South Africa’s vice-president, Thabo Mbeki, couldn’t get to Soccer City on time.

South Africa scored first with a Phil Masinga header. They were in it until, suddenly, they weren’t, running out losers by three goals to two. Eighteen months later, Bafana again lost to Brazil in a friendly by the odd goal. Nothing to be embarrassed about here. Brazil beat many a side by the odd goal in the late 1990s. 

Jordaan was in charge of an association that took itself seriously because it presided over a national side who took themselves seriously. These were not perfect times — South Africa’s disappointing showing in the 1998 World Cup in France showed that — but they were times in which South African football was, if not a power-house, then at least committed to not being left behind.

It was such status that inspired South Africa, with Jordaan heading the local delegation, to bid to host the 2006 World Cup. We don’t know exactly what transpired in the murky underworld of international football realpolitik on the eve of the vote in 2000, suffice it to say that New Zealand delegate Charles Dempsey, a golf-playing Hobbit of a fellow, was given a mandate from his association to vote for South Africa. 

With talk of notes under hotel-room doors and midnight shenanigans, Dempsey disregarded the mandate from Oceania, the block he represented, and abstained. His abstention meant that votes between Germany and South Africa to host the 2006 tournament tied. Sepp Blatter, another of the amiable man school, stepped in. And cast the final vote for Germany. 

Jordaan and his fellow bid team, Michael Katz, Koos Bekker and Irvin Khoza, dusted themselves off, and the bid team started racking up the frequent flier miles in pursuit of hosting the World Cup once again. 

A couple of years later, with South Africa’s 2010 bid in full swing, I remember deciding to wait for Jordaan at Grenada airport in the Caribbean as he campaigned for South Africa to host the 2010 World Cup. He was jetting in from Trinidad, where he’d had a couple of what I imagine were trying days with Jack Warner, the dodgy Caribbean power-broker and wheeler-dealer.

Jordaan knew I was in Granada for the Sunday Times. But he didn’t know that I’d be at the airport to say hello. As he fetched his bags and sauntered through passport control, I saw him in his customary dark, slightly shabby suit. 

He looked green. Whether it was from fatigue or fear of flying, or was simply the delayed after-effects of spending too much time with the cash-crazed Warner, I never got to find out. 

At the airport he amiably gave me the slip. But we did agree to meet at the palatial golf resort at which he was staring later. At the appointed time, under gently swaying palms, Jordaan breezed past in a golf cart, shouting directions to his next stop. I was beginning to feel I was being dragged into a Steve Martin movie against my will. Best keep amiable.

I followed on foot, while he hopped from hole to hole in a golf cart. I chased him to the seventh, clutching my notebook, and followed him to the eighth. He whizzed across the little bridge to the tenth.

The reason Jordaan and I were in Grenada was because the Confederation of North Central American and Caribbean Football Associations were having their annual meeting there. Voting for who would host the 2010 World Cup was only a month away and Jordaan wanted to do some last-minute schmoozing. 

Getting Mandela to press flesh and go walkabout with Warner in Trinidad was part of the initiative, but now Jordaan needed to tell the confederation delegates why they should encourage Warner and his mate, the big Chuck Blazer, to vote for South Africa.

It might have seemed like a straightforward matter. When Germany pipped South Africa at the post to host the 2006 World Cup, Blatter told the world that the next World Cup would be hosted in Africa. Morocco and Egypt had emerged as compelling bids, and Jordaan was taking no chances. 

Either way, here we were, Jordaan, myself and Blazer and his wife, sipping tea and making World Cup small talk so tiny it verged on the invisible. Whether they are scumbags or not, all journalists suffer from reputation bias, particularly in the eyes of those who have much to hide. I didn’t know it then, but Chuck had been supping at the football trough for years. He had much to hide.

Jordaan was increasingly difficult to get hold of once South Africa had been awarded 2010 hosting status in Zurich in 2004. He was always somewhere else. He used two passports, both of which were dangerously full. If he wasn’t going there, he was coming back. 

Because it was difficult to pin down, we resorted to tricking him. One of us on the sports desk would phone him and ask about something besides World Cup preparations. We would ask about the Champions’ League, or technological innovations in football, or the race for the English Premiership title. 

Jordaan would be overpowered by his enthusiasm for the game. He would be frank, thoughtful, engaging. Talking football in general put him into a good mood, whereupon we pounced, folding a World Cup question or two craftily into our list.

We could never have known that Jordaan’s dream, and his reputation, would soon begin to sour.

Look out for The Luke Alfred Show, Luke’s weekly podcast on all matters sporting with an edge of mischief. They’re available on Spotify, Apple podcasts and YouTube. Feel free to become a paid subscriber via Patreon

There is an entry cap of 23 000 runners and the entry period will run from November 13, 2024 to December 9, 2024 or until the entry cap is reached.

Th iconic ultramarathon, known for its challenging route that inspires thousands to compete, will take place on Sunday, June 8, 2025.

According to a press release from the CMA Marketing and Communications Manager, Delaine Cools, runners from around the globe are invited to run the historic race, which traditionally attracts athletes from nearly 75 countries.

Next year’s race will be the 98th edition, and will span approximately 89km between the cities of Pietermaritzburg and Durban. This will be the 49th Down Run, starting at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall and finishing at Durban’s People’s Park.

Cools said that participants can register online at the official Comrades Marathon website www.comrades.com or via the Comrades App.

Early registration is encouraged to secure a spot in the race.

Entry fees are the same as the 2023 and 2024 races. The entry fee is waived for holders of 25 or more Comrades medals:

• South Africa 2025 entrants – R1 200
• Rest of Africa 2025 entrants R2 000
• International 2025 entrants- R4 500

South Africa took the new ball in Mirpur at the start and quick bowler Kagiso Rabada finished with 6-46 as Bangladesh went from 283-7 to 307 all out, leaving the visitors a victory target of 106.

Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam took all the wickets to fall in his 3-43, but he failed to slow South Africa’s chase as they reached 106-3 in 22 before lunch on the fourth day.

Tony de Zorzi top scored with a quickfire 41 off 52 balls, hitting seven fours.

Fellow opener and stand-in captain Aiden Markram was first to go, bowled by Taijul for 20.

De Zorzi departed in the 16th over trying to play a big shot over long-on, caught by Hasan Mahmud.

David Bedingham was third out caught behind by wicketkeeper Litton Das.

Tristan Stubbs, unbeaten on 30, ensured there were no further alarms.

Rabada finished with 9-72 in the match, having become the fastest bowler to reach 300 Test wickets during the first innings.

Bangladesh lost their last three wickets for just 24 runs inside half an hour, all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz top scoring with 97.

Nayeem Hasan departed lbw without adding to his overnight 16 on the third ball of the day when a rampant Rabada inswinger kept low.

Wiaan Mulder removed Taijul for seven in the fourth over via a thick edge to Stubbs third slip.

Mehidy fell three runs short of his second Test century in the next over when he edged Rabada to Mulder at slip.

South Africa scored 308 in their first innings, powered by Kyle Verreynne’s second Test century, in reply to Bangladesh’s 106 all out on the first day.

Bangladesh have never won a Test against South Africa.

The second and final match of the series begins on October 29 in Chattogram.

© Agence France-Presse

Snyman missed the summer’s Rugby Championship success with a foot injury but has scored two tries in three games this season for new side Leinster.

The 29-year-old is joined in the set-up by utility back Damian Willemse, centre Andre Esterhuizen and fellow second-row Franco Mostert, who were also sidelined for the mid-year campaign.

Fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, locks Salmaan Moerat and Lood de Jager as well as prop Steven Kitshoff are missing, with fitness issues.

“There’s no doubt that there are several unlucky players who could easily have made the touring squad, but unfortunately we could only select 34 players,” head coach Rassie Erasmus said.

“It’s also great to have RG, Franco, Andre, and Damian back in the mix after recovering from their injuries, and we are excited to see what impact they have on the field, especially after their disappointment of missing out on the Rugby Championship.

“Damian, Andre and RG all returned to action in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship and have made a strong statement with their performances, and we all know what a work horse Franco is and the quality that he adds to the team, so there’s no doubt they’ll want to make their presence felt against quality opposition,” he added.

The Springboks face Scotland on November 10, England six days later and then Wales on November 23.

Erasmus’ side head north having lost just two games this season, against Ireland and Argentina, a year on from lifting the World Cup last October.

“We are under no illusions about the quality of the opposition we will face, and we have experienced first-hand how their home crowds lift them, much like our passionate supporters, so we know what it will take to be successful over there,” he said.

“Fortunately, we have a squad that believes in themselves and their abilities, and that will be vital as we enter these matches.

“Obviously we’ll take confidence from winning the Rugby Championship, but the reality is that’s now history, and there’s no doubt that will motivate the opposition even more to make a strong statement against us,” he added.

The squad:

Backs (16): Kurt-Lee Arendse, Aphelele Fassi, Cheslin Kolbe, Willie le Roux, Makazole Mapimpi, Canan Moodie, Damian Willemse; Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Andre Esterhuizen, Jesse Kriel; Manie Libbok, Handre Pollard; Jaden Hendrikse, Cobus Reinach, Grant Williams.

Forwards (18): Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (capt), Elrigh Louw, Kwagga Smith, Marco van Staden, Jasper Wiese; Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert, Ruan Nortje, RG Snyman, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Thomas du Toit, Vincent Koch, Frans Malherbe, Ox Nche, Gerhard Steenekamp.

© Agence France-Presse

The visitors took the lead, reaching 140-6 in 41 overs in reply at stumps at Mirpur, with Wiaan Mulder and Kyle Verreynne not out for 17 and 18 respectively.

Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat but four of their top six batsmen failed to reach double figures, with opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy top-scoring with 30 on a lively pitch.

Seamers Rabada, Mulder and left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj took three wickets apiece for South Africa.

Bangladesh were teetering at 40-4 when Rabada bowled Mushfiqur Rahim on 11, as the South African celebrated reaching the 300-wicket landmark.

He managed the feat in 11,817 balls, the fastest of all time, beating Pakistan’s Waqar Younis (12,602 balls).

Rabada soon made it 301 Test wickets, removing Litton Das for one, with Bangladesh crumbling, all out for 106 in 40.1 overs.

Rabada said he was “really surprised at how the wicket played out”.

“Test cricket should offer a fair contest between bat and ball, where bowlers get something if they bowl well, and batters can score if they apply themselves,” he said.

“With 16 wickets on day one, I’d say it’s leaning towards the bowlers,” he added.

‘Still in our hands’

Right-arm seamer Hasan Mahmud brought Bangladesh the first success in the first over after the innings change, removing South African captain Aiden Markram for six off seven deliveries.

Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam — Bangladesh’s main seamer in the absence of Shakib Al Hasan — then boosted his team after he bagged a five-for, to become only the second Bangladeshi to take 200 wickets in Tests after Shakib.

“Many bowlers have 200, or 300-400 wickets,” Taijul said. “But we don’t play many Test matches — still, I’m one of the Bangladeshi bowlers who have 200 wickets, and I’m happy for this.”

He kept the team’s spirits up, saying it was possible the match was “still in our hands” to win.

The Test is the first international cricket fixture in Bangladesh since a student-led revolution toppled autocratic premier Sheikh Hasina in August.

Bangladesh are missing all-rounder Shakib after security fears forced him to cancel plans to return home.

Shakib announced his retirement from international cricket last month but said that he wanted to play one last red-ball series at home.

The 37-year-old was also a former lawmaker in the government ousted by the revolution, making him a target of public anger.

Bangladesh have never beaten South Africa in a Test. The second Test begins in Chattogram on October 29.

© Agence France-Presse

The group is part of Endurocad, a non-profit founded by Meyer and Cape Town Marathon director Janet Welham, that focuses on developing the next generation of South African athletes.

At the heart of this effort is the “Zebra Tribe,” a group of dedicated runners that have become a familiar sight at the marathon.

This year marks the fourth consecutive time the Zebra Tribe will take part in the event, using their participation as a platform to raise funds for Endurocad initiatives.  

Meyer’s connection to the Zebra Tribe runs deep. The group was formed in 2013, and its unique name stems from an iconic moment when Meyer’s long-time running rival, Zola Budd, presented her and her teammates with miniature zebra carvings during the marathon’s early days.

That symbolic gesture has since become part of the tribe’s identity, linking two of South Africa’s most legendary runners in the shared goal of supporting the country’s rising stars.

Meyer, who won a silver medal in the 10,000m at the 1992 Olympics, is not just a figurehead for the Zebra Tribe but also an active participant. This year, she will join fellow South African running icon Blanche Moila, the first black female athlete to be awarded national colours, as well as global business executive Rhonda Veetre, in the marathon’s various race categories.

Beyond the star power of Meyer and her peers, the focus remains on the youth. Endurocad’s ACHIEVE Pathway Programme, which aims to develop “strong, self-sufficient young women through running”, will see 120 girls participate in the 5km race.

The programme provides the girls with the skills, confidence, and opportunities to make a positive impact on and off the track.

Through the elite athlete development and educational bursary programme, Endurocad offers young athletes the chance to combine high-performance training with academic or vocational education.

This approach has already produced a string of national representatives across various sports, with many going on to represent South Africa on the international stage.

Argentina, who trailed 27-7 at half-time, paid dearly for ill-discipline. Flanker Pablo Matera received a red cards and brothers Mateo and Santiago Carreras were both sin-binned.

Wing Cheslin Kolbe, hooker Malcom Marx and centre Jesse Kriel also crossed the tryline for the Springboks, whose only previous title in the competition came five years ago.

Scrum-half Jaden Hendrikse, a surprise choice as goal-kicker, slotted two conversions and a penalty. Substitute playmaker Handre Pollard kicked three conversions.

Fly-half Tomas Albornoz scored all the Argentine points as he converted his own try before a capacity 45,000 crowd at Mbombela Stadium.

South Africa completed the six-round southern hemisphere championship with 24 points. Then came outgoing title-holders New Zealand (16 points), Argentina (14) and Australia (five).

Nine-time winners New Zealand completed a disappointing campaign with a 33-13 victory over Australia in Wellington earlier on Saturday.

Before the match in Mbombela the spotlight was on two Springboks — lock Eben Etzebeth and fly-half Manie Libbok — for different reasons.

Etzebeth became the most-capped Springbok with 128 Test appearances, edging ahead of fellow lock Victor Matfield, who retired in 2015 after playing in 127 internationals.

The 32-year-old played the entire 80 minutes and was his usual industrious self for the four-time Rugby World Cup champions.

A missed penalty by substitute Libbok last weekend allowed Argentina to edge South Africa 29-28 in South America and delay the outcome of the Championship.

His miss triggered a wave of social media criticism, but Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus showed his faith in the playmaker by promoting him from the bench to start in Mbombela.

Hendrikse promoted

Erasmus took the goal-kicking duties away from Libbok, though, promoting Hendrikse to take kicks at the posts for the first time. He succeeded with three of six attempts.

Meanwhile, Libbok impressed with ball in hand and several ambitious cross-field kicks almost led to tries.

South Africa applied relentless pressure from the kick-off and it paid off after eight minutes when Fassi dived over and Hendrikse converted.

Argentina could not get out of their half and fell further behind six minutes later when Du Toit dived over several bodies and scored. Hendrikse converted again.

When the Pumas finally moved into Springbok territory they were rewarded as slick handling sent Albornoz over between the posts on 19 minutes and he added the extra points.

The seven-point gap did not last long as Hendrikse slotted a penalty. After wing Mateo Carreras was sin-binned, Fassi and Kolbe scored but Hendrikse failed to convert either try.

After a dominant first-half performance, especially in the scrums, the Springboks turned round with a 27-7 lead.

Argentina also lost star back Santiago Chocobares to a leg injury on 26 minutes. Lucio Cinti took his place at inside centre.

When full-back Santiago Carreras was yellow carded, Argentina were down to 13 men and Marx, Du Toit and Kriel scored tries, all of which Pollard converted.

South Africa now take a break until early November when they travel to Europe for Tests against Scotland, England and Wales.

© Agence France-Presse

Some of the biggest names in the marathon game will be racing Africa’s premier marathon in just over four weeks as excitement builds towards Cape Town joining the exclusive Abbott’s Marathon Majors club in May 2026.

The SCTM forty-day launch released the names of several marathon superstars, and while most are past the dizzy heights reached in their hey days, simply having the likes of former world record holders and championship title winners Dennis Kipruto Kimetto, Lelisa Desiso and Mare Dibaba in the Mother City, is a shot in the arm for the Cape Town race.

Kimetto is reportedly looking to make a comeback to competitive racing after several lean years. With many of the world’s elite reaching their marathon peaks late into their thirties, Kimetto will hope that his relative lack of competitive racing over the past decade will have kept his legs fresh for several more years of elite racing.

Kimetto enjoyed a purple patch as a distance athlete between 2011 and 2015, during which he achieved the world’s number one ranking in the marathon, but he struggled with injuries thereafter.

His 1:11:18 for 25km in Berlin in 2011 stood as a world best for the distance until his compatriot Daniel Ebenyo ran five seconds faster in Kokata, India, last year.

In September 2012, Kimetto recorded the fastest marathon debut in history when he finished one second behind another world-beating Kenyan, Geoffrey Mutai, in Berlin, clocking 2:04:16 – the fifth-fastest in the world at the time.

Six months after setting a course record (2:06:50) at Tokyo in 2013, he broke the world marathon record at Berlin, winning in 2:02:57. The record stood until Eliud Kipchoge broke it in 2018 with a time of 2:01:39.

Injuries and a crisis of confidence impacted his career thereafter and Kimetto’s last full competitive marathon came in 2018 when he placed 10th in the Shanghai International Marathon in 2:18:54.

Kimetto was raised in a humble background in a rural farming community and is hoping to draw resources from his roots to race competitively once again in a high-profile marathon on African soil.

Ethiopian athlete, Desiso, has a marathon best of 2:04:45, set in Dubai in 2013, but is best known for his win in the “midnight marathon” at the 2019 World Championships in 2:10:40 in Doha, run at night to avoid the extreme heat.

Desiso overhauled race leader Stephen Mokoka, of South Africa, with two kilometres to go and held on for the gold medal.

The Ethiopian also won the New York Marathon in 2018 and the Boston Marathon twice, in 2013 and 2015, and ran his last competitive marathon in December 2020, when he clocked 2:10:44 in Valencia.

At 34 years, Desiso believes his best years could be in front of him and is looking to the SCTM to re-ignite his career.

Dibaba is one of the best-known names in distance running. Even though Mare is not related to the supremely talented Dibaba sisters, she considers Tirunesh Dibaba (who won three Olympic and four world championship track gold medals) to be her sporting hero.

Perhaps the Dibaba name encouraged her quest for distance running greatness and she became the first Ethiopian woman to win a marathon world championship, racing to victory in 2:27:35 in Beijing in 2015.

She twice dipped below the 2 hr 20 min barrier (in 2012 and 2015), with her personal best of 2:19:52 set before advancement in shoe technology made this feat seem less impressive than it was at the time. She finished third at the Rio Olympics in 2:24:30.

Mare Dibaba enjoyed a number of top finishes at marathon majors, notably winning the 2014 Chicago Marathon in 2:25:37 and placing second at Boston (twice) and Berlin, where she clocked 2:20:21 in 2019.

Still only 34, Dibaba hopes to return to her marathon best and is looking to Cape Town to improve on the 2:25:12 she set in Wuhan, China, in March this year, just a month after racing to a speedy 1:08:56 half marathon, also in China.

While the big names will add lustre to the event, this year’s SCTM is not devoid of talented younger and faster athletes, with both of last year’s Ethiopian winners returning to defend their titles.

Adane Kebede Gebre, 28, held off three times champion, Stephen Mokoka, by a whisker to take the title last year in 2:11:25, a creditable time given the windy conditions which prevailed, and will be seeking not just another win, but potentially a tilt at Mokoka’s course record of 2:08:32, set in 2018.

Kebede placed a competitive fourth at the Xiamen Marathon in January this year in 2:09:21 and has a personal best of 2:06:54 set in Doha in January 2023.

Even more impressive at last year’s SCTM was Tsige Haileslase, who won the women’s race in 2:24:17, just 15 seconds short of her compatriot Meseret Dinke’s record set in 2023 and in far more testing conditions.

Haileslase ran her fastest marathon in Hamburg, six months before last year’s SCTM, clocking 2:22:10, and looks a good bet to challenge for the course record in Cape Town next month.

She made a top 10 position at London Marathon this year in 2:25:03 and boasts a speedy half marathon, having clocked 1:08:30 at the competitive Adizero Road to Records in 2021.

Among the South African contenders, Cian Oldknow appears best-placed for success in what will be her fourth marathon this year. South Africa’s 2024 marathon champion and top finisher at the Paris Olympics, Oldknow has set her sights on improving her 2:25:08 set in Seville, Spain, in February and potentially Dinke’s race record of 2:24:02.

“I’ll give it my best shot!” Oldknow said at the launch.

With a first prize of $25 000 and incentives for breaking the record, it could prove Oldknow’s biggest pay-day of her career, but that is not the most important driver for the Johannesburg athlete.

“Honestly for me, it’s more about the process and what I can get out of running rather than the prize money,” Oldknow said.

“I ran a 50km ultra-marathon this year where the prize money was R200 000 and stopped at 42km (while she was leading) because it was more important to meet my training goals.

“I think if you put the smaller things in place and gain satisfaction from running, then the financial rewards will follow, such as the SCTM prize money. I love my running but don’t want it to become a burden by having to make money to live.

“Running for my country means a lot to me. Running overseas, such as in Paris, is great but it’s also good to be able to compete in high profile competitive races at home. There is such an amazing running community here in Cape Town.

“I’m excited to see what Sanlam Cape Town Marathon has done for the sport and still plans to do in the future.”

Oldknow acknowledges the current depth of talent among the younger generation of athletes in South Africa. “I’m not sure why this is,” said Oldknow, “But it’s working! It is inspiring to feed off each other and so improve our performances.”

Relatively young in her career, Oldknow has also benefited from being able to brush shoulders with the world’s marathon greats. “Paris Olympics was an incredible experience, standing next to athletes you’ve looked up to as role models for years.

“On the Friday night before the race, I found myself next to Eliud Kipchoge and as I turned around, I realised that I belonged there too.  I was lucky to get to the Olympics, the pinnacle of the sport, at the start of my marathon career. I came away feeling like this was just the beginning.”

The announcement that one of the other leading distance runners in South Africa, Glenrose Xaba, will be making her marathon debut in Cape Town next month adds further spice to the women’s race. Two months ago Xaba took down Elana Meyer’s 23-year-old national 10km road record, her 31:12 in Durban shaving one second off the previous mark.

“I’m really excited about running against Glenrose,” said Oldknow. “She’s been in fantastic form and has run a really fast half marathon (1:08:37).  Although we are all trying to win, we support each other to achieve our goals. It’s great to be part of a time when our ladies are running fast times.”

Fast times are what Oldknow has in mind. “My first goal is to get my time down in the marathon. I’d like to compete in next year’s World Championships (in Tokyo), where the qualifying time has been tightened from 2:26:50 to 2:23:30, and also to aim for the Olympics in 2028 for which I’ll have four years of preparation.”

Former South African track and marathon great, Hendrick Ramaala, applauded SCTM for bring the marathon royals to Cape Town.  “I’m excited about the announcement. As a South Africa, it’s great to get these big names to our country,” said Ramaala at the launch.

“It gives incentives to our younger athletes. They will chase the fast guys and bring their times down. This will help raise our standards and records will go.

“I believe this generation (of South African athletes) will do great things,” Ramaala continued. “There was a dip in performances (by South Africans) after my generation, but these young athletes today are the real deal.

“These guys train so hard. If they could just gain the confidence to go into races against the east Africans, they would be able to do amazing things.  And providing a big race stage at home, like the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, will help to boost their confidence and performance.

“You have the full package here — a high-profile race with good prize money, an international field with strong elites and South Africa’s best.  Fast times are coming!”

Ramaala underlined the advantage gained from home support. “The love from your own people is so much bigger and better than any support you may get overseas. When we compete over there, we are just actors delivering performances.

“We didn’t get the opportunity to run world class races at home, but this generation is benefitting from this and the extra support and love they get from home supporters.”

Ramaala stressed the importance of the correct mental preparation and creating the self-belief to win big races.

“We need to work hard to establish a culture of self-belief in our running. We must learn from the east Africans who believe that they will win a race, simply because they are Kenyan or Ethiopian! It’s part of their culture.

“It will help to have one or two champions as role models. The younger runners can then aspire to reach similar levels and achievements.  But the most important thing is to make sure that our kids love the sport.”

— Sports Network Africa (SPNA)

“Cosatu demands that the match on Saturday be aired live on SABC or at least be flighted 30 minutes later, which would not cost any money or undermine Super Sport’s rights,” Cosatu’s Western Cape provincial secretary, Malvern de Bruyn, said in a statement on Friday.

He said showing the match only on Multichoice’s DSTV platform would shut out working class families who cannot afford satellite television.

“This is a sad day for working class families and a sad indictment to the government of national unity. This represents a failure of public policy to respond to public priority issues that foster national unity,” De Bruyn said.

He accused McKenzie of having “presented a gimmick” regarding the airing of last Saturday’s Springbok’s match against New Zealand on SABC and that he had “a real begging bowl approach to those who benefit and control South African sports”.

“It again shows that greed for money is put ahead of the interest of all South Africans and that politicians regardless of party bow at the altar of greed,” he said.

“Cosatu Western Cape calls on the government, in particular President Cyril Ramaphosa, to urgently intervene in this crisis to ensure that at least the games that the Springboks are playing are broadcast live on SABC.”

A spokesperson for Multichoice, the owner of the rights to air the rugby matches, said “the broadcast of the Springboks vs All Blacks match on SABC on 31 August was a once-off event, to celebrate 30 Years of Democracy”.

McKenzie’s spokesperson had not responded to questions by the time of publication. The presidency could also not be reached for comment.

SABC spokesperson Mmoni Seapolelo confirmed on Saturday that the SABC will not televise the rugby match between South Africa and New Zealand from Cape Town.

“The SABC had only reached an agreement with Supersport for last week’s match in commemoration of 30 years of Democracy. The SABC will only broadcast today’s match on its African Language radio Stations,  RSG and Radio 2000,” Seapolelo said.

“It must be noted that the SABC is committed to broadcasting sports of national interest and will always strive to ensure that the millions of South Africans are not left out, however it is also not always guaranteed that the SABC will secure these rights due to numerous factors including the exorbitant costs of the acquisition of sub licensing and the commercial imperative of the rights holders,” she said.

This story was updated with comments from the SABC.

Tola clocked an Olympic record of 2hr 06min 26sec for victory, finishing 21 seconds ahead of Belgium’s Bashir Abdi, whose silver marked an upgrade from his bronze garnered at the Covid-hit Tokyo Games three years ago.

Kenya’s Benson Kipruto, winner of Tokyo, Boston and Chicago marathons in recent years, rounded out the podium, a further 13sec adrift.

“Thank you, Paris!” said Tola, the 2016 Olympic 10,000m bronze medallist who will be 33 on Sunday.

“I’m happy today, I was 2022 world champion and now I’m Olympic champion.

“It’s the greatest day in my life. This was my goal.”

Tola, a late call-up to replace injury-hit Sisay Lemma, won gold at the 2022 world championships in Eugene.

More recently he finished third at last year’s London Marathon and won the New York City Marathon in a course record of 2:04.58.

Former world record holder Kipchoge won golds in the 2016 Rio Games and in Tokyo in 2021, but the 39-year-old Kenyan pulled up late in the race.

He withdrew just after the 30km mark, at which point he was 71st, more than eight minutes off the pace.

It put an end to his ambitious attempt at a third consecutive win.

In scenes witnessed by an AFP reporter in the crowd, Kipchoge turned to fans and handed over his shoes, bib and socks to supporters, receiving a rapturous reception.

Tola’s teammate Kenenisa Bekele, who won three Olympic and five world golds over 5000m and 10,000m before turning to the marathon, finished 39th in 2:12.24.

The 42km-long marathon course headed out of central Paris to Versailles, mimicking a key moment from the French Revolution: the Women’s March on Versailles, on 5 October 1789 which led to French King Louis XVI finally agreeing to ratify the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens.

The route included a 436m climb and 438m descent. The maximum gradient on the route was 13.5 percent.

© Agence France-Presse