No favours returned as Tadu Nare charges to Grand Prix victory

With less than three kilometres left in the race, Ethiopian athlete Tadu Nare reacted like she had been punched in the gut on Saturday morning, after missing out on water at the last refreshment station during the third leg of the Spar Grand Prix 10km series in Mbombela.

Fortunately for Nare, her Nedbank Running Club teammate Helalia Johannes of Namibia shared a much needed sachet as they hit the bottom of a monstrous climb on the undulating course.

And while Johannes later insisted she did not regret the sportsmanlike gesture, it couldn’t have been easy to swallow when she watched Nare down the water before tearing clear in a late sprint, storming to a convincing victory in 32:43.

“If my teammate is close to me and she needs water, I will assist,” said 41-year-old Johannes, who recovered in time to compete after falling ill and being hospitalised last week.

“I cannot see my fellow runners as my enemies. I always see them as my friends.”

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Despite her diplomatic response, Johannes slipped further behind Nare at the top of the standings in the Grand Prix women’s road running series, midway through the six-leg campaign.

She held on to finish second at the inaugural Mbombela race in 33:02 and Ethiopian teenager Selam Gebre took third place in 33:12.

Glenrose Xaba, the first South African across the line, held off a challenge from Kesa Molotsane to finish fourth in 33:37.