Mapaseka overjoyed following Grand Prix success
"This has been a great year."
Only a few will argue that the newly crowned Spar Grand Prix champ, Mapaseka Makhanya experienced a stellar year. This after her success in the Spar Grand Prix and considering that she only took up road running this year.
Mapaseka, who prefers running on the track and has been on the athletics scene for some time exceeded expectations and took to road running in the Grand Prix like a duck to water.
“I wanted to build up my stamina and get used to running longer distances,” the bubbly single mother said.
She started the year by finishing second in the Cape Town Spar Women’s Challenge race and third in Port Elizabeth. She then romped to victory in Durban and had a record-breaking victory in Pretoria.
By that stage she had built up enough points to make it virtually impossible for anyone to overtake her, and although she did not finish among the top ten in the final race in Johannesburg in October, the Bonitas (formerly Transnet) runner had done enough to ensure that the keys to the first prize of a new Nissan Micra would be handed over to her.
Teammates and even the competition witnessed an overjoyed Mapaseka who took possession of the car at a breakfast at the Wanderers Club recently.
“I have a car, but it is quite old and money needs to be spent on it, so it is a huge thrill to be driving away in a brand new car,” she enthused.
“I have really enjoyed running in the Spar races – the vibe is always great, and I have started getting used to having to think in kilometres instead of metres.
“This has been a great year – I won the Grand Prix, and I ran and won my first marathon. Next year I plan on winning another car, and have asked for a leather interior,” she laughed.
Three-times Grand Prix winner René Kalmer finished second on the log with 92 points – 13 behind Mapaseka. René’s sister, Christine, was third with 77. René will receive R30 000 and Christine will pocket R17 500.
Their Nedbank Gauteng Central teammate Irvette van Zyl, who was unable to run in Johannesburg because of a knee injury, came fourth with 68 points. The two-times Grand Prix winner will receive R15 000.
Annie Bothma of Helderberg Harriers won the Junior Grand Prix, with 20 points. Boxer KZN’s Janene Carey won the Veterans category with 26 points, teammate Grace de Oliviera the Grandmasters category with 48 points, and the evergreen Sonja Laxton the Grandmasters with 30 points. Each will receive R3 500.
With five of the top 10 on the Spar Grand Prix ladder wearing the Nedbank Central Gauteng colours, the club easily won the club competition with 343 points – nearly double those of their nearest rivals, Boxer KZN who had 177. Transnet was third with 138 points.
