Race attracts cream of the crop
For the majority of runners, the event traditionally serves as the ‘kick-start’ to their New Year road running endeavours.
The 13th Dis-Chem half marathon took place at the Bedfordview Country Club on Sunday, January 12. The 6 500 runners ensured that the event maintained its status of being the largest self-standing half marathon in the country and Gauteng’s premier event over this distance. For the majority of runners, the event traditionally serves as the ‘kick-start’ to their New Year road running endeavours. This year, as has become expected, the occasion was once again professionally managed by the members of the Bedfordview Athletics Club, who hosted and coordinated a well organised, well presented and efficiently managed event. The race attracted participants ranging from the country’s elite athletes to family members, who were participating to enjoy a fun day out in the open. Both the half marathon and the ever-popular Rehidrat Sport five kilometre ‘DASH’, which attracted 1 500 entrants on the day, took participants through the leafy suburb of Bedfordview and its surroundings. With cool and overcast conditions prevailing at the start of the day’s proceedings, runners were treated to ideal running conditions at the start of the race. The circular route offered a challenging, but scenic course where the work really began after the halfway mark, before the runners entered the final three kilometre stretch. Pukke’s Elroy Galant retained his 2013 winner’s title clocking a time of 1:07:24. Maxed Elite athlete, Desmond Mokgobu, held onto the runner up’s place seconds later, with a time of 1:07:32. Wirimai Juwawo took the last podium spot in the men’s field with a time of 1:07:40. “It was a tough course and a bit hilly, but I prepared well for the race. It is a great race to see where one’s fitness stands at the start of the new year and it provided an amazing endurance run for my shorter, indoor track events,” said Galant. In the women’s race, newly sponsored Adidas and South African Olympic athlete, Rene Kalmer, held onto a healthy lead which she established from early on in the race. She finished first with a time of 1:18:26. She was followed by her former Nedbank teammate, Rutendo Nyahora, with a time of 1: 20:14. In-form Yolande Maclean took third place with a time of 1:21:20. “I wanted to start 2014 with a bang and I’m really happy with this win. I knew I could start off well in January,” said Kalmer. In the Rehidrat Sport five kilometre Dash, Transnet’s Lebogang Masilo was victorious in the men’s race with a time of 14:53. Mr. Price’s Diana Lebo Phalula took the women’s title with a time of 16: 55 – almost two minutes ahead of her nearest challenger. Event participants were extremely generous in donating funds to the two event beneficiaries and, as in previous year, The Dis-Chem Foundation pledged to match all the amounts donated by participants over and above their entry fee. The result was that R49 440 was raised and donated to the Lambano Sanctuary – a haven for abandoned, orphaned and HIV/ Aids infected children. R30 060 was handed over to the Namaqua Dog and Donkey Foundation, which provides primary medical care for domestic animals in East Rand townships.
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