Northerns end the year on a high note

This entailed running 10kms for 10 consecutive days and each day everyone donated something towards Greater Benoni Child Welfare, in Northmead.

December 18, 2019

Jemma Buys 1 minute read

Moment captured as the powdered paint settled.

On December 7, Benoni Northerns Athletic Club (BNAC) seniors enjoyed the last day of their 10-in-10 Challenge.

Northerns started their run at 7am and the route took them past Child Welfare where children joined in the fun by being allowed to pelt the runners with paint powder.

The rain allowed the run to continue, which was completed by 9am.

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After the run, Northerns hosted a braai and held their annual prize-giving where many of their runners were awarded for their achievements this year.

Lucky Mkorwane received awards as the first BNAC runner home at the Comrades, he also won the first man home, first male veteran and an award for bringing home the only silver medal for the club.

Kirsty Roux was the first woman home for BNAC at the Comrades, she also received the female trail running award and among other things, a third place finish at the Mont-aux-Sorces 50km trail run.

John Ansell (left) and Jazz van Rensburg.

Lucky Mkorwane standing proudly with all of his awards.

Kirsty Roux was the first BNAC woman home at the Comrades.

Clouds of powdered paint seen everywhere as the children from Child Welfare chased the runners.

Christmas spirit all round for Emma da Silva (Left), Cassidy David and Adele David.

Northerns preparing for their run. Photo: Supplied.

John Ansell, Benoni Northerns Athletics chairman standing along side Julie Dekker.

The aftermath, Santie Lesch (left), Elizma Bothma and Richard Pretorious.

Anne Reynolds was the first female walker home in the 50km walk.

Derek Wright was first grand master male home at the Comrades.

Jazz van Rensburg won the triathlon award for his outstanding achievements in the half Ironman distance triathlon this year.

Julie Dekker won the Member of the Year Award, the club’s highest honour, as she took on the enormous role of race organiser this year and organised two very successful races.

The Robor Scaffolding Marathon took place on April 28 with a field of about 4 500 runners, 120 marshals and about 12 water tables manned by 20 people per table.

“The work that goes into an event of this size is breathtaking,” said John Ansell, chairman of Benoni Northerns Athletics.

The second race Dekker organised was the Rowlin Glow Run on October 30, which attracted 2 700 participants in a 5km, 10km and 15km,

“While this race wasn’t as big as the Robor race, it still required an enormous amount of organising,” Ansell said.

“Julie did the organising for both races while balancing a full-time job and her family and we are hugely grateful to her for the sacrifices she had made to ensure successful races for our club.”