Welkom – A group of runners from Welkom saw their Cape Town Marathon 2025 dreams crushed when severe winds and dangerous weather conditions forced organisers to cancel the race at the last minute.
Among the disappointed athletes was well-known Team Vitality Running Club member Nkhetheni Masupa, who had travelled to Cape Town specifically for the marathon as part of his preparation for an upcoming international competition.
“My plan was to use this marathon as my final preparation for the New York City Marathon happening in just two weeks (2 November), together with my running partner, Abe Nkomo,” Masupa said.
The pair will compete in New York following an invitation from the Abbott World Marathon Majors to compete in their respective age groups. This year’s Abbott WMM Marathon Tours & Travel Age Group World Championships are being held within the New York City Marathon, with the 2026 event announced to take place at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon.
The Abbott WMM Age Group World Championships is an annual event for elite runners worldwide who qualify through a global ranking system based on their age group performances.
According to Masupa, the Cape Town Marathon has been aiming for recognition as a Major Marathon, but those aspirations suffered a setback when the race was cancelled at the eleventh hour following severe wind gusts that damaged structures before the starting gun could sound.
Approximately 25,000 athletes expected to complete the race were alerted at 05:00 on 19 October that the race, scheduled to begin at 06:15 at Green Point, had been cancelled.
“The decision to cancel the race was made at 04:45, only an hour and 30 minutes before the start. Many athletes, including over 30 Welkom runners, were either on their way to the venue or already at the start point warming up when the announcement was made,” Masupa said.
The Cape Town Marathon has been working towards gaining Abbott World Marathon Majors status to be recognised as one of the world’s most prestigious races.
Currently, seven marathons belong to this elite club: Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, New York City, and Sydney.
The cancellation represents a significant setback for the Cape Town event’s ambitions to join this exclusive group, particularly given the international attention the race has been receiving in recent years. For the Welkom contingent, the disappointment was particularly acute given the extensive preparation and travel arrangements made for what was expected to be a crucial race in their athletic calendars.
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