In the high-altitude lungs of Johannesburg, where every hill feels like it’s tugging at your shoelaces, Ethiopia’s Selam Gebre found her extra gear and left a record field of 12,000 women in her slipstream.
At the season finale of the Totalsports Women’s Race at Marks Park on Sunday, she broke the tape in 33 minutes 27 seconds on a tough hilly route in ideal sunny weather conditions. The 23-year-old was rewarded with R30 000 for her efforts.
“I’m tired from my travels to Ethiopia and back and could feel it in my legs this morning,” Gebre confessed, catching her breath after a solo breakaway.
“There was one runner (Neheng Khatala) with me for a big part of the race. I just had to keep moving. She eventully runner got tired and dropped off. I kept going. The course was tough and hilly. However, I am very happy to be first today. It motivates me for my next event.”
For Gebre, who first joined the Totalsports series in 2024, believes it’s an event where women showcase their mileage of sacrifice and training.
“The organisers are very nice and always invite me to race,” she smiled.
“The Totalsports Women’s Race is special because it gives women the opportunity to show themselves and all their hard work.”
Trailing in her wake was Lesotho’s 10km record holder Neheng Khatala. The Hollywood Athletic Club runner claimed second, proving consistency is its own victory after completing all three races in Durban, Cape Town, and Johannesburg this year.
Neheng Khatala by Tobias Ginsberg
“I’m very excited with my second position today,” said Khatala.
“I executed the race very well. For the first time I did all three races. I am so proud of myself. I hope to do it next year again.”
Kenya’s Debrah Cherotich rounded off the podium in third, but it was local legs that drew the loudest cheers.
South Africa’s Karabo Mailula sprinted home in fourth, clocking a credible 35:09.
“It feels great to represent South Africa well,” said Mailula, who admitted the Joburg course is always a hill too honest.
“I didn’t know the course, but my teammate told me it was going to be difficult. I knew it, because Jozi is always difficult. I was aiming for a better time, but I think that I have improved. I am happy with the result, position four, it’s fine for me.
“The Totalsports Women’s Race is doing a great job… I can encourage other girls to come and enjoy the race. It gives the opportunity to all the ladies around.”
For organisers, this wasn’t just a race, but the exclamation mark on a three-city sentence written by 2025’s women runners.
“Congratulations to Selam Gebre on a well-earned victory,” said Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports.
“We also extend our sincere thanks to the 12,000 women who participated, the supporters who lined the streets, and our valued sponsors and partners who made this event possible for the entire 2025 series. The Totalsports Women’s Race continues to be a platform for unity, empowerment, and positivity and we’re already looking forward to what the future holds.”
Head of Marketing at Totalsports, Nikki Crous, echoed the sentiment, calling the Joburg leg a triumphant lap of honour.
“The streets of Johannesburg came alive as 12,000 women ran united in the final leg of the Totalsports Women’s Race. It was truly inspiring to witness the joy on route, a powerful reminder of the impact of celebrating women through sport. Here’s to the incredible women who continue to show up, lift each other up, and run with purpose. Until next year, keep running united!”
The Durban race on August 3 attracted 10 000 participants, while Cape Town boasted a whopping 15 000 runners on National Women’s Day on August 9.
And so, the curtain falls on the 2025 series, its footprints etched across Durban’s coastline, Cape Town’s mountain shadows, and Joburg’s hilly streets. For Gebre and her rivals, it was another chapter of sweat turned into triumph. For the rest, it was proof that when women run together, the finish line is only the beginning.
