Spar Grand Prix leader Mapaseka Makhanya is this year’s champion, despite having finished out of top 10 and failing to win the last Spar Grand Prix race of the year in Johannesburg on Sunday 13 October.
Ethiopian Gezashigh Hunduma Gemeda, running in the Nedbank colours, instead romped to victory in a time of 33 minutes and 49 seconds. South African half marathon champion René Kalmer (Nedbank) was second in 34 minutes and 31 seconds, followed by Rutendo Nyahora, also Nedbank, in 35 minutes. Lebo-Diana Phalula (Maxed Elite) was fourth in 35 minutes and 37 seconds.
Despite the weekend’s results, Mapaseka – leader on the Spar Grand Prix ladder who won in Durban and Pretoria – received the title and the keys to the Nissan Micra. Irvette van Zyl, who was the only runner who could have taken this year’s title from her was unable to run on Sunday because of a knee injury.
Nearly 11 000 women took part in the 10km Challenge and the 5km Fun Run, which meant the designated charity, Reach for Recovery, a support group for breast cancer patients, received a substantial cheque.
Race organisers received positive feedback on the new route, “there was one section after Killarney where we ran through a grove of trees. It was so beautiful. What a great route.”
Running on the new route through some of Johannesburg’s leafy northern suburbs, Rutendo took the early lead, but the Ethiopian, who arrived in South Africa on Saturday, surged to the front after three kilometres, and retained her lead for the rest of the race.
“It was a lovely race – I liked the route and I enjoyed the atmosphere,” Gezashigh said.
Although she could not succeed in defending her title this year, René said she had an awesome race and is happy to be injury-free again.
“It feels good to be running injury-free again, and I was feeling very good. I didn’t know what to expect from Gezashigh, because I haven’t run against her before, but I tried my very best and I am pleased with the way I ran,” she said.
“I feel I am back in the swing of things, and I am looking forward to next year.
“It is bittersweet to lose to a foreigner running in my own club colours, but it is always good to test yourself against world-class runners,” René added.
Rutendo, who won the first two races in the 2013 Challenge series, said she was happy to be in the top three in the race.
“I finished fourth in Pretoria, so it was nice to feel I was back again. Third place was a victory for me.”
