KHOARAHLANE Seutloali, the 2025 Two Oceans Marathon winner, with Siboniso Sikhakhane and third-placed men Lucky Mohale on the left. | Hollywood Athletics Club
Image: Hollywood Athletics Club
KHOARAHLANE Seutloali credited his victory in the Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon to the tips he received from compatriot and former champion of the World’s Most Beautiful Marathon.
The Hollywood Athletics Club runner ended a decade-long drought for Lesotho by reigning victorious in 3:10:47, just 20 seconds slower than the time run by Motlokoa Nkhabutlane back in 2015 to win the famous 56km Mother City ultra.
Not surprising then that it was Nkhabutlane who shared pearls of Two Oceans wisdom with his younger countryman prior to the race that spat out the main contenders.
Of the elite men deemed worthy of addressing the pre-race media conference – only Nkosikhona Mhlakwana finished in the top 10, with former champions Givemore Mudzinganyama and Onalenna Khonkhobe as well as last year’s runner-up Lloyd Bosman and marathon legend Stephen Mokoka seeing flames.
“Motlokoa is my training partner when we are home and he has been giving me advice on how to win this race. That’s what helped me win the race today,” said the man who got a top 10 in the last edition and then finished runner up in the similarly tough Soweto Marathon later in the year.
“I’m very happy because last year I was number eight. My coach and I spoke about how to improve my training and we did that and that’s what helped me to win.”
He ascribed his ability to beat off the challengers to the fact that he comes from a country where just about every route he trains on is a proper ascend.
“We were a lot when we climbed up Constantia Nek,” he reflected on the unusually big bunch of about 12 runners who were still together on the marathon mark at the beginning of the killer hill where many a Two Oceans dreams are buried.
“But Lesotho is hilly, so I don’t worry about the hills. I always knew that the top three has to happen given how well I had trained. And I am just happy that I have won.”
He knew with about two kilometers to go that the title was his when he eventually broke the resistance of the stubborn Siboniso Sikhakhane who had earlier on looked the much stronger athlete of the three runners in the leading bunch.
“I was very happy because the distance left was very little and if I could break him, I knew it was not going to be easy for him to catch up with me.”
Sikhakhane had planned for victory but graciously accepted the bridesmaid’s position.
“I am really happy today though the plan was to win the race. Even when I was training, the win was on my mind. I could not do it but I can say I won the race for South Africa because I am the first from South Africa to finish the race,” said Sikhakhane.
He knew beforehand that the competition would come from Lesotho runners who had four athletes in the top 10.
“I spoke to (Mphatso) Nadolo - his Malawian teammate who finished fifth - last night and told him the winner will come from Lesotho," continued Sikhakhane.
"I saw their training which was hard and on the hills. I told Nadolo we must make sure we sit with them but not to push too hard on the hills. It really worked for me and I am happy.”
Third-placed Lucky Mohale, an ultra marathon rookie, was delighted to have been able to stand in the gap when his teammate and training partner Khonkhobe struggled.
“I am happy with position three. It was tough competition and I was expecting Khonkhobe to run well, but he was struggling. So, I had to protect the position for Nedbank Club. We had to get a top three and be on the podium.”
It was all about Seutloali though as he won the two Oceans for Lesotho since their last victory back in 2015.