SPAR Women’s Challenge 10km / 5km
Durban: Sunday 23 June
As thousands of women gear up to participate in the 30th SPAR Women’s Challenge 10km/5km, attention falls on the front runners who will be making great strides towards yet another quick pace in the hopes of an impressive pay out in this milestone event.
To celebrate 30 years on, SPAR will award the winner of this race R30,000, as well as the usual cash category prizes. Leading the charge is Helalia Johannes from Namibia, running in the colours of Nedbank.
Johannes has accumulated 60 points in the SPAR Grand Prix, including earning 10 bonus points in the two events leading up to the Durban race. She clocked an impressive 31.50 in the Port Elizabeth race and knocked off 5 seconds from her PE time to record a lightning quick 31.45 in the Cape Town race.
Colleen de Reuck’s impressive 19-year-old record, a time of 31:38 set in 2000, looks like it might be in jeopardy of falling with a fast international field expected. 11 runners crossed the finish line, all recording times under 34 minutes in the Cape Town SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge.
Donning the number two, Ethiopian junior Tadu Teshame is currently placed second overall on the Grand Prix log, sitting 3 points behind the Namibian, Johannes. This exciting runner is also part of the Nedbank team topping the log in the Junior category.
Well known South African middle-distance runners Kesa Molotsane (M&R FS) and Irvette van Zyl (Nedbank CG) are flying the flag. Molotsane is lying in third position on the Grand Prix log with 53 points and van Zyl in fourth with 50 points.
Local runner, Makhosi Mhlongo (Hollywood Bets) is the only Durbanite currently featuring on the Grand Prix leader board, sitting in joint 17 place with a tally of 9 points.
The main event gets underway this Sunday at 8am, followed by the 5km fun event setting off at 9.30am. Race Registration takes place at Hall 6 at the Durban Exhibition Centre on Thursday 20 June and Friday 21 June from 10am until 5pm, and on Saturday 22 June from 10am until 3pm. Manual registration is still open, until the 15,000 capped number is reached.
For more info visit www.sparwomensrace.co.za/durban or like the Facebook page.