Leading a superb all-round effort by the South African men’s team, former standard marathon specialist Lungile Gongqa earned the silver medal on Sunday, ending the nation’s nine-year medal drought at the IAU 50km World Championships in Brasov.
After the majority of the SA team stayed in touch with a large lead group in the first half, they managed to hold on in the latter stages to secure gold in the team competition.
Gongqa, an Olympic marathon runner and former winner of the 56km Two Oceans ultra-marathon, crossed the line in 2:48:26, less than a minute off the pace of Spain’s Iraitz Arrospide, who won the race in 2:47:42.
It was the national team’s first medal at the 50km road running spectacle since Sandile Ngunuza took the second spot on the podium in Galway in 2010.
Read more news on Citizen News