Gelant runs into the record books

GEORGE SPORT - Three-time Olympian and former 5 000m national track record-holder Elroy Gelant (38) is the new SA marathon record-holder.

Taking fourth place at the Hamburg Marathon in Germany on Sunday 27 April, Gelant demolished one of the longest surviving South African records.

Crossing the finish line in 2:05:36, Gelant shaved 57 seconds off the 26-year-old record of 2:06:33 set by Gert Thys in Tokyo in 1999. This is also three minutes faster than Gelant's previous personal best of 2:08:56 over the 42.4km distance, set last year in Seville.

Gelant's time on Sunday was also fast enough to automatically qualify for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September - an event where he hopes to finish in the top three.

Speaking to George Herald shortly after touching down at OR Tambo International Airport on Tuesday, Gelant ascribes the recent spike in his athletic performance to a renewed understanding of the purpose of running.

After taking a break from running around 2022, a chance encounter with a local in Pacaltsdorp reminded Gelant that he not only runs for himself, but also for people who look up to him and draw inspiration and hope from his achievements.

That was followed by a lot of introspection, asking himself what the greats like Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Kelly Slater did to keep finding meaning in their sport.

He described tapping into a place of deeper understanding of his reasons for running. The result he narrates as spiritual strength that transcends positive thinking.

"I have a different perspective these days. It's not the same feeling of nerves and anxiety at the start line as before," he says.

He also credits consistency in his training and a boost to his self-confidence following his 11th place finish in last year's Olympic marathon, decided over a challenging course in Paris, as significant contributing factors to him finding the best form of his career now.

Currently based in Potchefstroom, Gelant earns his bread and butter by lecturing in human resources as well as occupational health and safety at the North-West University. He finds transferring knowledge to students hugely rewarding and says they keep him young.

"I still feel the way I did when I was a student. Nothing has changed except that I have a bit more responsibility when standing in front of a full lecture room," he says.

Elroy Gelant wins a previous edition of the Absa Run Your City Durban 10K. Photo: Anthony Grote