PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - The recent first Street Mile run in Plettenberg Bay had an international flavour to it.

The winners of the men's and women's races are South Africans - but both are studying in the United States on athletic track scholarships.

Mathew Endrody (20), the winner of the men's race in an outstanding time of 04:08, is studying at New Mexico University, while Carina Viljoen (28), the women's winner in a time of 04:41, is continuing her studies at Arkansas University.

Both have parents living in Plett and when they saw the race advertised, they decided they had to participate.

"The first Street Mile in Plett was a great success," said Ray Wicksell, one of the organisers, who is a US 1 500m Olympic runner himself.

Great milers

Wicksell said with 160 runners partici-pating, the Plett Street Mile broke all records for a first-time event.

There to give the event support were also former great milers, Johan Fourie, Sydney Maree (who held the New York Street Mile record, which was only beaten in 2024, for many years), Jean Verster and Marius Hugo Schlechter. 

They were all sub-four minute milers.

Wicksell and the organising team of the successful event, which includes Nico Westraat and John Gawler, are already planning for next year's race.

The prize-giving was held at the Planet Fitness expo on the soccer fields next to Greenwood Bay College after the race on 20 December.

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