LEBOGANG Phalula, running in Transnet colours, took the line honours in the SPAR Women’s 10km/5km race, which ended at the Sahara Stadium Kingsmead, Durban, in a time of 33.36 in a record field of 17 607 competitors on Sunday, 7 June.
Defending champion, Phalula, was pushed hard by Nolene Conrad, the petite teacher from Vorentoe High School in Johannesburg, who finished only three seconds behind her. The duo spent the entire race side-by-side up until 800m, when Phalula stepped up a gear, overtaking Conrad and charging to the finish.
Phalula said: “At the beginning of race the pace seemed to settle down very quickly, but I did feel the pressure of these two,” as she pointed at Conrad and third-placed runner, Zimbabwean Rutendo Nyahora, at the press conference.
Leading up to Blue Lagoon, the front-runners comprised only four of the elite athletes, with Lebogang’s sister, Diana-Lebo, marginally in the lead. As they made their way into the Green Hub, Diana-Lebo dropped out of the leading pack. Making their way onto the promenade alongside the uMgeni River, the defending champ and Conrad made their break from Nyahora and slowly increased their lead on their way back towards the Moses Mabhida Stadium precinct. Nearing the 7km mark, a look of determination came across Conrad’s face, who had fallen slightly behind the 26-year-old, strode ahead of Phalula and stayed in the lead until the final 1km.
Conrad, who had been ill prior to the race, said she just tried to stick with the girls in the first few kilometres.
“Then, with the last few kilometres to go, I just gave it my all and I thought I had it, but then Lebogang came past me with 800 metres to go and that was that. I am happy with how I ran. It was the first time that I actually contended for the first position and finished so high in the SPAR race. I am grateful for a good run,” said Conrad.
Lebogang congratulated the women, especially Nolene, who she said was a big competitor on Sunday.
Rob Philipson, MD of SPAR KZN, said it was a wonderful event and the weather was perfect. “Building up to the day we had some bad weather predicted, but it was perfect. The women came out in force. Elite runners have constantly supported this race, and this gives our event huge credibility, and it is also wonderful that amateur runners get to run with people they admire,” he added.
Overall Results:
1 – Lebogang Phalula (33.36); 2 – Nolene Conrad (33.39); 3 – Rutendo Nyahora (33.53); 4 – Cornelia Joubert (34.04); 5 – Christine Kalmer (34.29); 6 – Diana-Lebo Phalula (34.48); 7 – René Kalmer (34.51); 8 – Nicole Van Der Merwe (34.52); 9 – Irvette van Blerk (34.56); 10 – Tanith Maxwell (35.29).
