RSA - Can Josia Thugwane revive his career

[Newsroom]

Johannesburg, Wednesday, 09 January 2008 – Former Olympic Marathon champion Josia Thugwane aims to begin a career revival with an inspiring performance at the Nedbank Matha Series event in Tshwane on January 19.

Over the festive season, Thugwane has been hard at work training for the Nedbank Half Marathon race from his base in Bronkhorstpruit, some 50km away from Tshwane in the North West province. He is resolute in his commitment to use the Tshwane race to mark his comeback to the road running limelight.

“My training is progressing well. The weather conditions in Bronkhorstpruit are very similar to what we can expect Tshwane, so I plan to make a fine start to the year,” says Thugwane.

Determined to regain his prominent stature in the world of road running, Thugwane had hoped to finish in the top three at the Heroes Marathon in Mthatha on December 16. He looked set to achieve his goal until 32km into the race. Then he suddenly fell off the pace in the four man lead bunch and fizzled to finish tenth.

“A stomach bug upset my running rhythm in Mthatha. Actually this was my second disappointment in less than two months after a cramp midway through the Nedbank Soweto Marathon forced me to withdraw from the race. However, unlike in Soweto were I dropping out of the race, in Mthatha I stayed on to finish the race although I was in considerable abdominal pain,” Thugwane revealed.

“Now I am in great shape and aim to finish in the top five in Tshwane. That will place me in good stead for the Nedbank South Africa Marathon Championships in eThekwini which remains my main focus for the first half of the year,” says Thugwane.

“It is important to run a fast time early in the year. Competing in eThekwini offers an attractive opportunity to run a fast time. I reckon that an impressive half marathon in Tshwane is just what I need to run a fast marathon at the coast in eThekwini next month,” Thugwane explained.