I should have won – Siboniso Sikhakhane out for Two Oceans redemption

Siboniso Sikhakhane has not forgotten the moment he let the Totalsports Two Oceans Ultra Marathon slip through his fingers – and he has no intention of letting it happen again.

Twelve months after finishing a heartbreaking second in one of South Africa’s most iconic races, the 35-year-old from Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal has made it clear that he is coming back to win. Sikhakhane clocked 3:11:18 in last year’s 56km ultra, crossing the line just 31 seconds behind eventual winner Joseph Khoarahlane Seutloali. But it was not simply defeat that lingered – it was the manner of it.

“I still think I should have won last year,” Sikhakhane admitted.

“Everything in my race plan worked perfectly until the later stages. Then I made a huge mistake.”

That mistake – stopping to collect a water bottle at the wrong point – proved decisive, handing Seutloali the gap he needed to surge clear.

“I gave him the opportunity to open a gap, and it was very hard to recover from that,” Sikhakhane said. “But I’ve moved past it. Everything is planned by God.”

If the memory still stings, it has also sharpened his focus. Under the guidance of 2004 New York Marathon winner Hendrick Ramaala, Sikhakhane has stuck to a tried-and-tested preparation formula. Rather than overhaul his approach, he has refined it – returning to the FNB Kazungula Marathon, a key benchmark in his build-up.

The decision paid off. Sikhakhane finished second in Botswana in a time of 2:19:17, slashing more than five minutes off last year's performance at the same race. In tough, hot conditions, it was a run that confirmed his fitness and his growing maturity as a competitor.

“I didn’t see a reason to change what worked for me,” he explained.

“Kazungula gives me a clear indication of where I am and what I need to adjust. My goal was to run under 2:20, and I achieved that.”

Now, with final tweaks to come in consultation with Ramaala, Sikhakhane believes he is primed for the biggest test of all when the field lines up on Saturday, April 11.

“I think I’m in the best shape of my life,” he said. “My body is responding well, and mentally I feel strong. The past two years have been challenging, but I’ve grown from that.”

It is not just about fitness, it is about experience. Sikhakhane, who also finished third in the 2022 edition of the race, has learnt the fine margins that separate victory from regret.

“In the past, I’ve made mistakes, but I’ve learned from them,” he said. “Now it’s about putting everything together on race day.”

Wade Bromfield, general manager of the Two Oceans Marathon, feels Sikhakhane’s journey is emblematic of the race itself.

“Every year, this marathon brings remarkable stories of resilience and ambition,” he said. “Siboniso’s drive to turn that near-miss into a win captures the spirit of this event perfectly.”

For Sikhakhane, the narrative is simple: he has come close before, perhaps closer than ever last year. Now there is only one step left.

“I believe it’s time for me to win a big race in this country,” he said. “I’ve been knocking on the door for too long.”

On April 11, he plans to finally break it down.