Athletes in Gqeberha overcame harsh weather conditions to shine at the third annual Madibaz Half-Marathon.
Gqeberha, South Africa (30 July 2025) – Not even freezing temperatures, strong winds, and bursts of rainfall could stop Melikhaya Frans and Refeloe Solomons from setting the Madibaz Half-Marathon alight in Gqeberha. While most of us were wrapped in blankets, Nelson Mandela University was buzzing with over 1,500 runners for the third edition of this increasingly popular road race.
Melikhaya narrowly missed out on first place last year, but made sure of victory this time, crossing the line at the Madibaz Stadium in an impressive 1:05:34. It was nearly two minutes ahead of 2023 champion Andile Motwana, who clocked in at 1:07:26. And to round off the men’s podium was Madibaz athlete Sicelo Mashaba in 1:10:04.
Looking unbothered by the weather, Meilkhaya mentioned it is all about making it work.
“When you enter a race, you never know what the weather will bring. You just make the best of it. This wasn’t ideal weather but you can’t control it. You just go out and give it your all.”
Sharing the start line with the 10km race proved to be a bonus. Melikhaya showed how running with a group is always the solution. He paced early with clubmates competing in the shorter event, which helped him find his rhythm. After the halfway mark, with the wind finally behind him, he set his sights on a sub-66-minute finish.
On the women’s side, Refeloe Solomons was untouchable, claiming her third straight Madibaz Half-Marathon title in 1:22:39. Bianca Meistre followed in 1:26:27, while Kaitlyn Wolff took third in 1:33:55.
“I came into this race determined to win it again, I don’t have much resistance against the wind due to my size and I just focused on giving my best,” said Refeloe
Refeloe credited her cross-country training and the support of training partners for her solid start.
“I ran with some of the men I train with: Melikhaya Keep, Abdul Wicomb and Jermain Wilson and my cross-country training really helped.”
She also paid tribute to her coach, Luvuyo Stephen, saying he did a lot of work in the background to keep her competitive.
Despite the chilly weather, the day had its highlights. The 10km race saw notable growth, and the 5km fun run drew strong numbers, partly thanks to the park run community.
“It was a big hit,” said Madibaz Sport athletics manager Bernard Petersen. “The feedback has been extremely positive, which augurs well for 2026.”
Sources: Supplied
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