Award ceremony held for SPAR Women’s Challenge winners

The winners from the Johannesburg leg of the SPAR women’s challenge marathon were announced in Sandton.

November 8, 2023

Lebogang Tlou 2 minutes read

PPF20_67142 — SPAR's own Luyanda Dlamini, Mpudi Maubane and Charleen Guschen deserve a red carpet at their workplace.

The winners of this year’s Johannesburg leg of the SPAR Women’s Challenge race were announced on October 31, in a well-attended prize-giving ceremony hosted at the Maslow Hotel.

Shani Silver, Janene Carey and Ronel Thomas are the top three winners in the 50– 59 category of runners.

Thandy Matlaila owns the stage with her presence in her role as MC at the event.

Awards were given to the top three finishing runners over the ages of 60, runners aged between 50 and 59, and runners aged between 40 and 49.

Tshidi Malebana with Oratile Rampa show up in support of women in athletics and ending GBV.

The SPAR Women’s Grand Prix 10km Series is held annually in six South African cities. The Johannesburg leg of the 2023 series was held at the Marks Sports Club in Emmarentia on October 1.

Tadu Nare wins her third SPAR Women’s Challenge in a row, having won in 2021, 2022 and this year as well.

This Grand Prix race series is the first of its kind in South Africa and drew an approximate participation tally of 70 000 racers across the nation. The Johannesburg leg of the SPAR Women’s Challenge had 9 000 participants.

Caxton’s own Dejane Poil and Norman Dawe.

Tersia Fourie and Liesel van Zyl commemorate the occasion with a photograph.

This race is part of SPAR’s continued work towards catalysing an ending to the gender-based violence (GBV) pandemic in the world, particularly in South Africa.

Cornel Steyn and Maxine D’Amico from SPAR, with Aneska Meintjes and L’Oreal McPatie from Free Radical Media.

Koert and Sandra Grobler at the event in support of women athletes as well as ending GBV.

“It’s an awesome event that we support,” said SPAR’s representative Maxine D’Amico. “Just to see women from all walks of life come together was phenomenal, just beautiful – families together, moms, daughters, kids, all generations coming together in support of ending gender-based violence.”

Selam Gebre (2nd place), Gladwin Mzazi, Lebo Phalula (8th place), Ethiopian coach Belay Hagos and Tadu Nare (1st place) at the award ceremony.

Providence Siziba dons polka dots at the event.

The top 10 finishing participants were also announced, including an inaugural award for the first South African woman to cross the finish line in Johannesburg.

Selam Gebre from Ethiopia and Blondina Makatisi from Lesotho receive the second and third prizes, respectively.

Glenrose Xaba won this prestigious prize, finishing the challenge in fourth place. Ethiopian runner Tadu Nare came in first place, winning herself a cheque to the value of R200 000.

Mother and daughter Jackie Frey and Claire Milton could pass off as twins on any occasion.

Vuvu Zongo with Retha Ingenbleek at the event.

Nare said, “I want to encourage young South African athletes to use the SPAR Grand Prix series as their backbone for speed and endurance. My first SPAR race as a junior was my first race internationally. I remember it so clearly. It changed the whole of my life and the way I think.”

Nthatisi Mokhele, Elvirah Maphosa and Seromo Mofokeng glam up the red carpet. Photos: Lebogang Tlou

Boitumelo Moatshe brings flavour to the red carpet when he shows up.

Glenrose Xaba said she felt blessed to be the first South African to receive the additional prize money. “We thank the SPAR Women’s series for motivating us and for helping us to compete with our sisters from Ethiopia, Kenya and Zimbabwe. I think winning this award will made me work harder in future.”