In the early morning hours of Sunday September 28th 2014, Kenya again shone on the global stage in the Marathon race of Berlin as Dennis Kimetto shattered the Old world record to set a new one of 2hr 02min 57sec.

The Kenyan followed in the footsteps of his countrymen becoming the first human to run the distance under 2hr 03min obliterating Wilson Kipsang’s previous time of 2:03:23 ran in the same course in Berlin in 2013.

HOUSTON (September 24, 2014) - The Houston Marathon Committee announced on Wednesday that the Chevron Houston Marathon Run for a Reason Charity Program has surpassed the $20 million fundraising mark since its inception in 1995. The charitable program is designed for runners to fundraise for local charities. In 2014 alone, over 16,000 donations were made to the 60 official Run for a Reason charities resulting in a record $2.6 million raised on race weekend.

"Over the past five years, the Run for a Reason charity program has served as a platform for our participants to raise over $10 million, which allowed us to reach the $20 million milestone so quickly, but we hope to do even more moving forward," said Wade Morehead, Executive Director of the Houston Marathon Committee. "We are ahead of last year's record-breaking pace and we are hoping to significantly increase the number of charity runners each year for the benefit of all of these wonderful philanthropies in the region."

When Virgin was announced as the title sponsor of the London Marathon in 2010, the ambition was to work together to reach a charity fundraising target of £1/4 billion in five years.  We are now pleased to announce that this figure has been broken, with the total raised for charity in the five years of Virgin Money sponsorship now standing at £261.4 million.

Individual runners in the 2014 Virgin Money London Marathon set yet another record figure for charity fundraising for good causes by generating £53.2 million. The average amount raised by every London Marathon Golden Bond charity runner was £2,407.

It is the eighth consecutive year that London Marathon entrants have broken the Guinness World Record for the largest annual single-day charity
fundraising event worldwide.

The sixth and last stage, arriving at Quinta da Boa Vista Sunday, 31st, was won by Brazilian Rafael Andriato (Neri Sottoli Yellow Fluo Pro)

It was on a sunny day and in crowded Quinta da Boa Vista that Oscar Sevilla (EPM UNE) put on once and for all the yellow jersey and was able to celebrate being a two-time individual general Tour do Rio champion on Sunday, 31st. The Spanish cyclist, 16th place in the sixth and last stage, pedaled the Tour's 997km over the week at the overall time of 23h15min13s, ten seconds ahead of the second-placed competitor, his fellow countryman Gustavo Veloso (OFM Quinta da Lixa). Brazil stood on the podium as Kleber Ramos ranked third (Funvic Brasilinvest), and he took home the white jersey with red polka-dots awarded to the competition's best climber. The best Under-23 athlete prize (white jersey) went to Mektel Eyob (World Cycling Centre), from Eritrea. The winning team was Brazilian Ironage Colner, at 69h48min52s.

The winner of Sunday's stage, between Rio das Ostras and Rio de Janeiro (180.7km), was Brazilian Rafael Andriato (Neri Sottoli / Yellow Fluo Pro), who sprinted in the final yards to clock 3h37min22s. Cuban Michel Garcia (São Francisco Saúde/ Açúcar Caravelas / Gold Meat) finished second, followed by Argentinean Cristian Clavero (Ironage Colner), the Tour's fastest sprinter and winner of the green jersey. 

By: Farai Diza

Siya Mqambeli, one of three South Africans sponsored for a once in a lifetime opportunity to run in the Virgin Money London Marathon, finished the race in 36th position overall early this month.

Overcoming financial constraints and the impacts of recent crime, the three undertook their first ever trip overseas and excelled in their opportunity to participate in a high profile international marathon abroad.

32 year old Mqabeli who lives in Soweto finished in a time of 2;29;27, becoming the first South African man to cross the line and achieving his dream of placing well in a high profile international event. compatriots Patrick Kanyane placed 176th in a time of 2:41;36 despite having been injured only weeks before and Joshua Mathebula placed 908th in a time of 3:04;17.

“This is a lifetime opportunity every runner would like to be offered. It has always been my dream to run in the world’s biggest marathon like the London marathon where I will get to experience running with the world’s best athletes. Being unemployed since January 2013 and struggling to find work, I decided to take my running seriously and getting an opportunity to run the London Marathon was a unique opportunity for me to shine on an international level,” said Mqabeli.

The three were sponsored by Virgin Money South Africa in association with Adidas who supplied the team with running kits while Virgin Active sponsored two months training in a club of their choice.

By: Editor

In just ten days history will be made when thousands of runners of all ages and abilities will take part in the first-ever Wings for Life World Run. Representatives from 136 nations will all set off at the same time at events in 32 different countries, across six continents. 

Wings for Life aims to raise awareness of spinal cord damage and money for spinal cord research. Austria and Taiwan’s events are now at capacity however there are still places available at the remaining 30 Wings for Life events. The best male and best female runners, plus one randomly selected runner, will win a round the World trip of a lifetime.  

What makes the Wings for Life World Run different from other running events is that a moving finish line will be chasing the runners from behind instead of the runners dashing towards a defined finish line. The run starts at precisely 10am UTC and will end hours later when the last male and female runners are reached by one of the Catcher Cars.

By: Farai Diza

The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) has congratulated Paralympian wheelchair racer and hand cyclist, Ernst van Dyk who made history on Monday by winning a record 10th wheelchair title in the Boston Marathon.

Van Dyk crossed the finish line in an hour, 20 minutes, 36 seconds and holds the record for most Boston Marathon wins.

Some of van Dyks achievements include being awarded the Laureus World Sports Award   for Sportsperson with a Disability in 2006, winning a bronze medal in the 400m at the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney, silver medal in the 800m at the 2004 Summer Paralympics and another silver in the 1500m, and a bronze in the 5000m.

He also won a gold medal in the hand cycling road race at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Beijing as well as bronze in the wheelchair marathon. At the last Paralympics, in London two years back, van Dyk won silver in the road race.

“Well done to Ernst for such a great performance at the Boston Marathon. You continue to fly the South African flag high and this is a positive outcome on our Road to Rio in 2016. We are positive you will continue to perform exceptionally going forward,” said SASCOC CEO, Tubby Reddy.

Van Dyk is a six time Paralympian athlete who has competed in three different sports mainly swimming, athletics and cycling.

By Editor

Record crowds were rewarded with two course records and one world record at the 34th Virgin Money London Marathon today as Kenyans Wilson Kipsang and Edna Kiplagat won two thrilling elite races in the glorious London sunshine, while Tatyana McFadden and Marcel Hug raced to victory in the wheelchair event.

London 2012 rowing gold medallists Katherine Grainger and Anna Watkins set 36,337 runners on their way from Greenwich this morning after 36,621 had registered to run by close of play on Saturday at the London Marathon Expo. By 6pm this evening, 35,864 runners had crossed the famous finish line on The Mall after passing more than three quarters of a million spectators along the route.