Transnet’s Mapaseka Makhanya, who did so well in the last Spar Women’s 10km Challenge that she clinched the top spot on the Grand Prix ladder and won a brand-new personalised Nissan Micra, expressed her extreme joy to the public.
“I’m so happy that I’ve won a car,” Mapaseka said.
“I have a car already, but it’s getting quite old and things keep breaking so I am thrilled to have a brand-new car. I loved taking part in the Spar Challenge series and I definitely will be back again next year.”
Mapaseka finished the five race series with a total of 105 points. She won the Durban and Pretoria legs and finished second in Cape Town, third in Port Elizabeth and 13th in Johannesburg.
After a stunning season, during which she has won major races on the track and the road, as well as winning her first marathon, Mapaseka was not too disappointed about finishing outside the top ten in the last Challenge race, saying she simply ran out of steam.
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 Laxon the Grandmasters with 30 points. They each will receive R3 500.
With five of the top 10 on the Grand Prix ladder wearing the Nedbank Central Gauteng colours, the club easily won the club competition with 343 points – nearly double that of it nearest rival Boxer KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) who had 177. Transnet was third with 138 points.