SPAR Women’s Challenge: Pretoria leg plays host to 27 000 runners.

NOT even the heat on Saturday could prevent Rutendo Nyahora from successfully defending her title.

“The heat was unbearable on the road, but in these kind of conditions it is better to race technically than to go out and better records,” said Nick Bester, national manager of the Nedbank Running Club.

“She ran a good race from start to finish and kept her pace going throughout the race; I’m very proud of her.”

Olympian Nyahora (Nedbank) took the lead to rake in her second consecutive win of the SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge Pretoria leg, which was held on September 3, at Supersport Park. She finished the Elite run in 35.25.

A green sea of some 27 000 bodies took part in the 10km Challenge and the 5km Fun Run, and the events were once again successfully organised.

The race changed leaders several times, but Nyahora adapted to the warm conditions better than her co-runners, the Phulula twin sisters, Diana-Lebo and Lebogang.

Diana-Lebo (Boxer) came in at 35.40, while the unknown newcomer, Glenrose Xaba (Eskom), was third in 36.16 minutes, and Lebogang finished fourth, in 36.32.

“I am so happy to have defended my title,” said a beaming Nyahora.

“At one stage, Mapaseka and Diana-Lebo were fighting for position, so I just stayed behind them and waited for my chance. I know this route very well, and I knew that they would get tired, so I just waited for my chance and, when it came, I took it.

“It was wonderful to go to the Rio Olympic Games; I was happy to be there and learnt a lot.

”I have more confidence now. I learnt that one can do the Olympic Marathon and come back and do the shorter distance of 10km. You can do both, you must just believe in yourself and be confident. I know I have to make things happen for myself.”

Nyahora and Diana-Lebo both ran the Olympic Marathon, in Rio, last month, Nyahora for Zimbabwe and Phalula for South Africa, and both said that being able to call themselves Olympians had helped to boost their confidence.

Phalula said she had a very good race.

“I was feeling very light and I wasn’t tired,” she added.

“Although it was hot here, it was nothing like as hot as it was in Rio. I feel different about myself now that I can call myself an Olympian. I didn’t feel any pressure and I just enjoyed the race. I came third last year, and second this year. Next year it’s my race.”

The junior runners who are being mentored by Grand Prix winners took the first three places in the junior race. Diana-Lebo’s protégé, Koletso Senosi was first, in 38.22 minutes, followed by Nicole van der Merwe, mentored by Irvette van Zyl, and Makhanya’s protégé, Simonay Weitz, was third.

Van Zyl, the current Grand Prix leader, is injured and did not run.

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