Rainhold keeps up the pace in city marathon

Road running
The national champion was in a race of his own at the front.
Andrew Poolman
Considering the conditions, men’s winner Tomas Rainhold posted a fast winning time of two hours 28 minutes 52 seconds in Saturday’s Windhoek City Run.
Headline sponsors NamibRe put up N$50 000 in prize money across different age categories, while the medals to the podium finishers was sponsored by Hollard Namibia.
Rainhold, a 2021 Olympian in Tokyo who has also competed at world championships and Commonwealth Games, had no-one able to keep up with his pace as he ran most of the way on his own.
Rainhold’s personal best is 2:10:10, set at the Durban International Marathon in April this year, where he placed fourth.
He also won the Husab Marathon in September, with a time of 2:28:26. In March, he was also first at the Rössing Uranium national marathon championship in Swakopmund (2:18:18).
Charles Gordon, of runners’ club Windhoek Harriers who organised the event, said the route was probably the flattest one could put together for a marathon in the capital city.
“Runners started off from DTS club in Olympia, turned right into Mandume Ndemufayo through Academia, past the University of Namibia and through Pionierspark on a loop of 21.1 km, which the marathon entries completed twice.
“People forget that Windhoek is about 1700 metres above sea level, so the oxygen is just much less than at Swakopmund, for instance.
“Our event was well supported, with more than 500 entries, including those for the 10 km walk and 5 km fun run.”
A total of 129 joggers completed the half-marathon, while the 10 km race had 150 timed finishers.

42.2 KILOMETRES
1 Tomas Rainhold (33, men's open) 2:28:52
2 Simon Nakale (29, men's open) 2:55:22.
3 Anna Amutoko (42, veteran women) 3:26:11.
4 Chidi Alex Kanu (55, masters men) 3:39:23.54
5 Joas Wahengo (41, veteran men) 3:44:53.
6 Pauly Nashidengo (23, men's open) 3:46:07
7 Wilbard Ithikwa (47, veteran men) 3:55:57.
8 Jafet Abraham (43, veteran men) 3:57:16.
9 Isdor Aluteni Kamati (27, men's open) 4:17:23.
10 Kristofina Niitshinda (29, women's open) 4:35:31.

21.1 KILOMETRES
1 Ndahangwanasho Nghilyeendele (31, men's open) 1:13:41.
2 Salomo David (50, masters men) 1:15:09.
3 Simon Shipingana (46, veteran men) 1:16:27.
4 Geson Koper (28, men's open) 1:21:20.
5 Aina Beata Jeremia (22, women's open) 1:23:15.
6 Indileni Mweshamekange (31, women's open) 1:23:18.
7 Frans Amakali (43, veteran men) 1:29:07.
8 Anthony Abrahams (39, sub-veteran men) 1:32:47.
9 Brian Mclaire Kahatjipara (52, masters men) 1:34:01.
10 Kai-Uwe Brettschneider (28, men's open) 1:35:18.

10 KILOMETRES
1 Fule Hamutima (19, junior men) 33:29.
2 Frans Mwafangeyo (34, men's open) 37:57.
3 Tuuliki Angala (25, women's open) 39:15.
4 Les Trollope (38, sub-veteran men) 45:14.
5 Ilse van Zyl (35, sub-veteran women) 46:34.
6 Clinton Hay (62, grand masters men) 48:02.
7 Immanuel Kuutondokwa (29, men's open) 48:32.
8 Reinhard Moyo (27, men's open) 48:35.
9 Ndemufayo Angula (42, veteran men) 48:58.
10 Ntsaku Khoza (23, men's open) 49:18.

10 KM WALK
1 Frieda Blignaut (74, grand master women) 1:12:00.
2 Margrit Horn (79, grand master women) 1:14:10.
3 Susan Gordon (70, grand master women) 1:20:42.
4 Emman Cloete (46, veteran men) 1:23:39.
5 Frieda Nehale (27, women’s open) 1:28:39.