LOBAMBA – Under a blazing sun and perfect race conditions, with temperatures soaring above 27°C, this year’s Imbube Marathon delivered an electrifying finish that kept spectators on their feet until the final stride.
Defending champion Mancoba Nhlabatsi of Eswatini narrowly missed retaining his crown, losing by a mere five seconds to South African road-running veteran Charles Tjiane, a former Comrades Marathon gold medallist. The thrilling duel unfolded on the home stretch at Somhlolo National Stadium, with Tjiane storming past in a dramatic late surge to claim victory in 2:33:04, just ahead of Nhlabatsi’s 2:33:09.
It was a heartbreaker for the 26-year-old Nhlabatsi, who had led the 42km race for much of the route before being outkicked in the dying metres. Still, he walked away with plenty to celebrate — smashing his previous year’s time of 2:34:04 and pocketing E35 000 for being the first liswati to cross the finish line, E15 000 for finishing second overall and a E5 000 Spar voucher — bringing his total earnings to E55 000.
Tjiane, 52, showed his class and endurance, also scooping the Masters Category Award worth E3 000, bringing his total haul to E38 000.
“It was my first time running here and I came well-prepared. I saw that Mancoba was tiring near the end, so I dug deep and sprinted to the finish. My never-say-die attitude paid off,” Tjiane said.
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