Two Oceans Star Onalenna Khonkhobe Finally Gets Overdue Prize Money After Controversial Race Ruling
- Two Oceans champion Onalenna Khonkhobe's race dispute has finally reached a major milestone after months of uncertainty
- A decision taken after the KHS Founders Half Marathon sparked debate over the application of athletics rules
- Although the prize money has now been paid, one important issue remains unresolved
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Two Oceans champion Onalenna Khonkhobe has finally received the prize money he missed out on following his controversial disqualification from the KHS Founders Half Marathon in Kimberley on 16 May 2026.
Running Mann reported on 30 July that Khonkhobe has been paid the R15,500 winner's prize (approximately US$861 (about R15,500)) after the dispute was resolved. The publication said the apology Athletics Griqualand West (AGW) had reportedly promised had not been issued by the time of publication.
Dispute centred on temporary licence
According to Running Mann, Khonkhobe competed using a temporary Athletics South Africa (ASA) licence after forgetting his permanent licence number.
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The publication said his disqualification prompted Nedbank Running Club manager Nick Bester to challenge the ruling, arguing that ASA rules allow athletes to race with temporary licences. AGW later acknowledged the rules had been applied incorrectly but initially did not reverse the outcome.
Legal intervention changes outcome
The matter was later escalated with assistance from attorney Mark Leathers, who provides legal support to the Nedbank Running Club. AGW released Khonkhobe's outstanding prize money after legal action was threatened.
While the payment brings the dispute to a close for Khonkhobe, questions remain over whether athletes affected by similar rulings could have their results reviewed.
World Athletics finally settles another long-running record controversy
Briefly News also reported that Ethiopian distance star Yomif Kejelcha finally received official recognition for his men's 10km road world record after waiting more than a year for a verdict from World Athletics.
The delay followed the disqualification of the previous record holder, leading to Kejelcha's historic performance being officially ratified months after it was achieved. The decision also put the spotlight back on one of athletics' biggest achievements and the lengthy process behind record recognition.
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Source: Briefly News
