Unathi Mngcwengi, the Hollywood AC's 2023 KZN Best Female Social Runner, delivered a standout performance to win the RBM Marathon this past weekend.
She crossed the finish line at the Richards Bay Sports Complex in a personal best time of 03:09:32, an impressive 13 minutes and 2 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher.
No stranger to podium finishes, Mngcwengi has previously secured top spots at the Tronox and Hippo Marathons. She credits her coach, Wiseman Maduna, for her success at the RBM Marathon, highlighting his role in keeping her in peak physical condition for each race.
“Special thanks to Coach Wiseman Maduna, my strong support system, the seconding team, my training partners, and the race organizers, RBM. The route is mostly flat, which requires hard work throughout. I felt tired around the 38km mark but pushed on until the finish. Winning and setting a PB at this time of the year is overwhelming and exciting,” Mngcwengi shared.
Beyond Marathons, she is a fierce competitor in ultra-distance running, having participated in South Africa’s most prestigious ultras the Comrades Marathon and the Two Oceans Marathon. At Comrades 2024, she finished in an impressive 07:44:30, securing a time prize for Hollywood Athletics Club. Before that, she completed the 56km Ultra Marathon in Cape Town in 04:30:12.
Looking ahead, Mngcwengi has her sights set on the Two Oceans Marathon in April, aiming to improve on last years’ time.
“Last year wasn’t my best effort at Two Oceans, as I had races too close to each other, which affected my performance,” she admitted.
As part of her preparation, she plans to use the Tronox Marathon in March as a key training race for her upcoming challenge in April.
