Two Oceans winner could be stripped of his title

Winner of the 2025 Two Oceans Half-Marathon, William Kaptein, might lose his title after testing positive for cannabis. 

Kaptein made history in April as the first local Capetonian to win the race since 1991.

The South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) recently announced that the runner’s urine sample tested positive for cannabinoids on the day of the Two Oceans marathon.

The organisers of the Two Oceans Marathon have a no-tolerance policy for drug use, enforced in collaboration with the SAIDS, which may threaten Kaptein’s title.

Although not a performance-enhancing drug, Cannabinoids are under the World Anti-Doping Code Prohibited List 2025 under Category S8, and prohibited during competition. 

While legal in South Africa for personal use, it differs for competitive athletes. THC is classified as a substance of abuse. 

South Africa’s anti-doping laws enforce a suspension period of three months for this type of infringement.

This is provided the athlete can prove that any use of the drug occurred out of competition and was unrelated to sport performance. 

Kaptein was given a three-month suspension that was then further reduced to one month, ending on June 15, after voluntarily completing a substance abuse treatment programme. 

The athlete said on social media that testing positive for THC and receiving the suspension was a total shock. 

“I never imagined something like this could happen,” he said. He claims that he smoked a hookah pipe at a party two nights before the race, which he did not know contained cannabis.

He added that he has learned his lesson and advises all athletes to be extremely cautious. “Hookahs can be spiked without your awareness, and it can have devastating effects on everything you’ve worked for,” he said. 

Kaptein said that he will be back to race in the Two Oceans next year. 

A win overshadowed

The Two Oceans Marathon organisers said that the results of the 2025 event are still provisional, pending the finalisation of the anti-doping process. 

“Runners’ profiles on the Two Oceans database will only be updated once final clearance is received from ASA/SAIDS,” the organisers explained. 

Kaptein took first place of the 16,000 runners who participated in the half-marathon at the age of 32. 

“I always dreamt of winning the Two Oceans Half Marathon and to be only the second person from Cape Town to win the race is a massive honour,” Kaptein said in an interview following his victory with Western Province Atheltics. 

He claimed first place by only two seconds, followed closely by another South African runner, Bennet Seloyi. 

Western Province Athletics said that his victory was not without his struggles, and that Kaptein faced personal issues in the past that took him away from athletics for several years.

Kaptein said that his ultimate dream is to race in the 2028 Olympic marathon.