Melikhaya Frans sets his sights on the Cape Town Marathon after claiming his first international win

Coached by Mike Mbambani, a two-time national Coach of the Year, Frans completed the Riga race in 2 hours, 13 minutes, and 20 seconds, outpacing a strong field that included elite East African runners from Kenya and Ethiopia. 

This is a significant milestone for the Gqeberha-born long-distance athlete, who trains along the coast. 

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Mbambani says that their next goals are the Nelson Mandela Half-Marathon in June and the Cape Town Marathon in October.

"We are now on a recovery programme before the 21 km race at the end of June. Thereafter, Melikhaya will run again in Cape Town, in October. I have to say, there were a lot of people who assisted us behind the scenes, and to those people, I say thank you," said Mbambani. 

Mbambani, who oversees the Ikamva Athletics Club, home to both aspiring and elite runners in Gqeberha, told the national broadcaster that Frans, the Eastern Cape’s national marathon record holder, missed last month’s Two Oceans ultra-marathon due to injury. However, he bounced back to win a high-paying invitational race in Latvia.

The race director of the Absa Run Your City Gqeberha 10km says their main goal in Latvia was not chasing fast times but rather securing a spot on the podium.

"Some people tend to think that training on the coast is a negative thing, but training along the coast allows you to get a lot of oxygen. I thought Melikhaya adapted very well to the wind and the rest of the conditions. We also decided before the race that time was not our priority, a podium finish was," said the experienced coach. 

When Frans, 35, arrived at the airport in Gqeberha, he shared an emotional embrace with Mbambani and handed him the medal he had won in Latvia. The heartfelt moment took place during a welcoming ceremony attended by hundreds of cheering fans.