Who Will Take The Two Oceans 2021 Men’s Title?

Will defending champion Bong’musa Mthembu be back to defend his title at Two Oceans 2021?  That’s the question everyone is asking.

The 2019 Two Oceans men’s race was a cracker

Unlike Gerda Steyn’s elegant dominance, the men’s race was filled with far more intrigue as the Kenyan’s were out to destroy Magawana’s record in 2019.  In 2019, there were questions around whether Kenyan’s Justin Kempbio Cheshire or Abraham Kiprotich could break Thomas Magawana’s (3:03:44) record.  Two Oceans Marathon 2020 was going to be a race of revenge for the Kenyans.

Justin and Abraham ran out of steam though on the challenging 2019 Ou Kaapse Weg route.  The jarring descent of Ou Kaapse Weg, due to the last minute route change last year, left the Kenyan’s unprepared.

Bong’musa Mthembu kept running a composed and measured race while the Kenyan’s began to fade.  He reeled them in one by one and went on to win his first Two Oceans Ultra Marathon title after four attempts.  David Gatebe placed second.

With 2020 cancelled who will take the Two Oceans 2021 men’s title?

Two Oceans 2021 will, no doubt, have another exciting men’s race if they all return for the challenge. The top three contenders have all tasted victory:

1. Bong’musa Mthembu is the defending champion.
2. David Gatebe is a hard-working athlete.  The 2013 Champion is always a threat in any race he enters as he’s got blistering speed and endurance.  In 2018 and 2019, he finished third and second respectively, and he is the only runner to have won both elusive ultra-marathon titles, the Two Oceans Marathon as well as Comrades Marathon.
3. Justin Kempbio Cheshire is also a great contender for 2021.

Other contenders include the obvious threat, Justin Cheshire, along with Lungile Gongqua and Charles Tjiane.  Lungile Gongqua was keen on a second win on home soil in 2019.  While Charles Tjiane, the three-time Loskop Ultra winner, has struggled to win the Cape Town showpiece, but he shouldn’t be underestimated.

What form will be retained with so many 2020 races cancelled?

With so many races being cancelled worldwide, we have no idea what 2021 will bring in terms of the men’s Two Oceans Marathon race.  New and ‘out-of-form’ athletes may emerge from the shadows while on-form athletes my improve even more.  The field is wide open, so we’re excited to see what will happen next year.

Two Oceans Marathon 2021

If you are interested in running the Two Oceans Marathon 2021, you can contact us on [email protected] or discuss options, or ring us on +44 1932 361807 (UK) +1 844 390 1798 (USA) +44 (0)7791360170 (Rob).