East London Grand Prix Circuit: What makes South Africa unique
FILE PICTURE: Lebogang Phalula. Picture: Lee Warren/Gallo Images
Lebogang Phalula crossed the line first in a time of 33 minutes and six seconds (33:06), three places ahead of her sister and series points leader Diana-Lebo Phalula (34:02).
“My race today was great, but I was looking forward to my sister winning the race,” Lebogang Phalula said after the race.
“I told her if she’s not going to win the race, I am going to win.
“She told me to go and leave her alone.”
Zimbabwean Rutendo Nyahora took second in 33:41 and Rene Kalmer dipped under 34 minutes to claim third in a time of 33:49 in the third race of the Grand Prix series.
Phalula began the race in a breakaway group of three led by Irvette van Zyl — and with Mapaseka Makhanya also in the pack.
Van Zyl won the Totalsports Women’s race in Stellenbosch earlier this month in 32:20 — the third fastest 10km by a South African woman.
Diana-Lebo Phalula, led at the front at the three kilometre mark, as Van Zyl fell off the pace.
“I was scared running with Irvette the first kilometres because she ran a 32:20 [time] recently, so I was panicking,” said Lebogang Phalula.
“But I told myself then to just run my own race.”
By the halfway stage, the Phalula sisters opened up a big gap on the chasers as they passed five kilometres in 15:50.
Diana-Lebo Phalula, struggling with a hamstring problem, began dropping off the lead at the 6km mark while her sister surged ahead.
After that point, Lebogang Phalula powered her way to the finish for a comfortable victory.
“I was just running against the clock. It was a nice pace today and I’d like to thank Irvette for everything,” she said.
“It was fast, but for me not that fast because I couldn’t feel any pain.
“I started to pick up at 5k, and I just managed to run hard the last part.”
– Sapa
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