Richard Pearce Photography
South Africa's Stephen Mokoka obliterated the men's 50km world record on Sunday at the Nedbank Runified Breaking Barriers 50 km Ultramarathon hosted by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.
The Boxer running club runner crossed the finish line at 2:40:13 to become a world record title holder in what was his ultramarathon debut.
Once local hero Melikhaya Frans stepped off the road at 35km with his job done as pacemaker, it was left to Mokoka to put the hammer down and tear the field apart.
He was more than two minutes quicker than the previous world record of 2:42.07 that was held by Ehiopia's Ketema Negasa.
Nedbank running club's Ehtiopian athlete Amelework Bosho won the woman's race in 3:04.58 which was just outside world record pace.
Results:
MEN:
1.Stephen Mokoka, Boxer Athletics Club: 02:40:13
2.Tete Dijana, Nedbank Running Club: 02:44:09
3.Omphemetse Edward Mothibi: 02:45:27
WOMEN:
1.Amelework Fikadu Bosho: 03:04:58- Ethiopia
2.Shelmith Muriuki: 03:08:29 - Kenya
3. Irvette Van Zyl, Nedbank Running Club: 03:13:22
