SPAR Grand Prix Awards honour female runners
South Africa’s top female road runners were honoured for their achievements at the 13th annual SPAR Grand Prix.
The SPAR Grand Prix Awards was the event for sipping wine with high-profile sport stars in beautiful eveningwear when South Africa’s top female road runners were honoured.
Emperors Palace was the place to be on Friday, 18 October after organisers had finished calculating the points the runners had accumulated at the six SPAR Women’s Challenge races in Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Durban, Tshwane, Pietermaritzburg and Johannesburg respectively.
There was never a doubt who the winner of the open category would be, with Namibian runner Helalia Johannes (Nedbank) winning all six races in record time. She earned R185 000 for her efforts. She was followed by Tadu Naru (Nedbank) and Kesa Molotsane (Murray & Roberts), leaving Nedbank Running Club the winners of the team event.
Last year’s winner, Glenrose Xaba (Boxer) finished sixth.
Mike Prentice, SPAR marketing director, opened proceedings by congratulating all the runners, adding that opening the Grand Prix to international runners saw South Africans also up the ante at the 13th annual series.
“This is the only running series in South Africa totally committed to women runners,” he said. “We gave away prize money totalling R900 000 and saw 150 000 women participate across South Africa.”
Ian Laxton, series coordinator, highlighted the fact that SPAR was hosting races for women since 1990, even before the Grand Prix became official.
“This series has been a nursery of running talent in South Africa since the beginning. It motivates and develops talent. This year foreign runners have changed the complexion of the race too,” he said.
Laxton’s wife, Sonja, 71, ran her 100th SPAR race at the Joburg event on 6 October, where SPAR also presented her with a R15 000 donation towards her chosen charity, the Goldilocks and the Bear Foundation.
She received a life-time achievement award at the awards ceremony.
“I feel honoured and I thank SPAR for their R15 000,” the Melrose resident said.
She added that she and her husband were planning to retire in Cape Town next year. This would make attending some races easier for her and she still plans to do the Joburg and Tshwane races.
Category winners:
Juniors
1. Tadu Naru (Nedbank)
2. Tayla Kavanagh (Murray & Roberts)
3. Chante Dixon (Murray & Roberts)
Age 40–49
1. Bulelwa Simae (Boxer)
2. Janene Carey (Boxer)
3. Charne Bosman (Murray & Roberts)
Age 50–59
1. Grace de Oliveira (Murray & Roberts)
2. Judy Bird (Murray & Roberts)
3. Maria Bendana (Morningside)
Age 60+
1. Olga Howard (Nedbank)
2. Margie Saunders (Nedbank)
3. Nancy Will (Pinelands)
