… wins KwaMagogo ½ Marathon
MANZINI – A limping 15-year-old Royal Eswatini Sugar Corporation (RESCorp) runner caused a stir on the roads during the KwaMagogo Legacy Run 2026.
The race was held yesterday in Manzini, starting and finishing at Trelawney Park, and featured the 21km, 10km and a walk for both competitive and social runners. It was organised by the Golden Foot Running Club in partnership with the Masilela family and the Municipal Council of Manzini (MCM).
Among the more than 1 000 participants, RESCorp’s Amahle Mathunywa made history by writing her name into the country’s 21km record books after dominating in the country’s 10km. Nursing a knee injury that has forced her to abandon the faster-paced 10km events, Mathunywa graduated to the 21km and stormed to victory on her half-marathon debut.
Defending champion
She clocked 1:33:51 to snatch the crown from defending champion Nongcebo Mathabela of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS). Mathabela was pushed off the podium and finished fourth behind Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) runner Gugu Mthembu.
Sandwiched between Mthembu and Mathunywa was Correctional Services’ Thobile Mathabela, who bounced back after missing the Times Half Marathon, having last competed in the Yesuka Twé. She crossed the line just 55 seconds behind the young champion, denied a triumphant return by the narrowest of margins.
The 15-year-old admitted it had been a tough decision to step up to the half-marathon while still nursing her left knee injury, especially as the category is packed with respected names. However, she credited her coach’s strategy and her quiet preparation for the breakthrough.
“It was a month-long preparation for the new challenge, which I believe proved that hard work and perseverance on the road really paid off in the end. Actually, I didn’t know the exact names of the competitors, but I would sometimes read about them in the newspapers as frequent winners in this category,” Mathunywa said.
She added that the undulating course, with its demanding climbs and descents, tested her, but she managed to maintain her pace throughout despite the pain.
Shown her quality
It is worth noting that Mathunywa had already shown her quality earlier in the season when she faced seasoned runners at the Spar Women’s Challenge in June and outpaced them. Juniors have excelled this year in stunning the old guard, with UEDF’s Sanelisiwe Mphaphu also writing her name in the history books in April when she stepped up from the 10km to the 21km and won it.
Meanwhile, the men’s 21km title went to UEDF full-marathon specialist Ntokozo Nkonyane. He celebrated at the finish line after shaving a minute off his previous best, clocking 1:09:26 as the army runners completed a clean sweep of the podium.
In the 10km races, Correctional Services’ Siphesihle Ngwenya claimed the women’s title while UEDF’s Mphatsi Mndzebele took the men’s crown.
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