Category: News

Barefoot runner Diana-Lebo Phalula is getting very excited at the thought of collecting the keys to a brand-new Nissan Micra, as winner of the 2014 SPAR Grand Prix.

With just one race left to run in the five-race SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge series, Phalula has an almost unbeatable lead. She won the first two races, in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, in record time, and top four finishes in the Durban and Pretoria races, she has a total of 94 points, 28 ahead of her nearest rival, three-times Grand Prix winner Rene Kalmer, who has 66 points.

“I’m really looking forward to winning that car, because I’m tired of being a pedestrian,” said Phalula.
“I don’t have just one hand on the key – I’ve got it in my back pocket,” she laughed.
Phalula ran the Durban and Pretoria races with a strained hamstring, but she hopes to have recovered by the Johannesburg Challenge at the Wanderers Club on October 12.

While her position is virtually insurmountable, there is close competition for the second prize of R30 000. Kalmer, who finished eighth in Cape Town, second in Port Elizabeth, third in Durban and fifth in Pretoria, is just two points ahead of last year’s Grand Prix winner, Mapaseka Makhanya, who has 64 points. Phalula’s twin sister, Lebogang, who won the Durban race and finished third in Pretoria, and Irvette van Zyl, who won in Pretoria in a course record time, are in joint fourth position, with 57 points.

Two times Grand Prix winner Van Zyl, who missed the Cape Town race because of a long-term injury, had a golden weekend, winning the Pretoria Challenge on Saturday afternoon and then going on to win the Mandela Marathon in Kwa-Zulu Natal on Sunday, with record times in both events, and she has sent a strong signal to Kalmer, Makhanya and Lebogang Phalula that she is the one to beat if they hope to claim that second prize.

In the club competition, Boxer heads the table with 214 points, ahead of Nedbank, with 161 and Transnet with 108.

Just when everyone thought it was safe to put away their heaters, winter came back with a big bang and people throughout the City of Gold found themselves shivering once again. 

But that cold front has moved away, and thoughts have turned to spring and spring in Johannesburg means preparing for the SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge and 5km Fun Run at the Wanderers Club in Illovo on October 12.

The course was designed by the evergreen Sonja Laxton, one of South Africa’s most successful runners of all time.

The 10km route takes the runners along Corlett Drive and Oxford Road as far as Riviera Road in Killarney, before zig-zagging back through some of Johannesburg’s leafiest suburbs.

The 5km route meanders through the plush suburbs of Illovo, Melrose, Birdhaven and Atholl-Oaklands, giving runners a chance of peeking at some of the most beautiful gardens in Johannesburg.

Thousands of women of all shapes and sizes are expected to take part in the Challenge or the Fun Run. The first 15 000 to register will receive a free race t-shirt and the first 15 000 to finish will receive a medal and a goodie bag. 

The race is well known for the congenial atmosphere, with many entrants making friends for life with someone they met on the road.  There is plenty of entertainment at the finish, with acclaimed pianist and singer Bongi Mthombeni ready to have everyone clicking their fingers and tapping their toes. 

There is also a Kiddies Area, where youngsters will be cared for and entertained while their mothers take part in the race.

As always, there are wonderful prizes on offer, including a lucky draw for a Nissan Micra, the Bring-a-Buddy competition, where an entrant and her friend can win New Balance shoes, and the schools competition, where the school with the most entrants can win prizes from electronics giant Mustek.

The Johannesburg Challenge coincides with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and proceeds from the race will go to Reach for Recovery, a support group for women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.  The Reach for Recovery volunteers have all had their own encounters with the disease, and so they are in a perfect position to talk to and counsel women who have just heard those ominous words “you have breast cancer.”

While the race is really about the thousands of women who will take to the streets on October 12, there is fierce competition for line honours among South Africa’s elite road runners.    Diana-Lebo Phalula is virtually assured of winning the Grand Prix, and receiving the keys to her own Nissan Micra, but  a number of runners could finish second on the ladder and win a cheque for R50 000. Among those jostling for second place are three times Grand Prix winner, Rene Kalmer, Phalula’s twin sister Lebogang, who finished third in the Pretoria race on Saturday, after winning the Durban  race a week before,  and  last year’s Grand Prix winner Mapaseka Makhanya. Irvette van Zyl, who has won the Grand Prix twice, has made a late surge, winning the Pretoria race in record time, and on current form, she could pose a real threat to the front-runners.

Entries for the race opened on September 1, and close on September 27, although late entries will be accepted between October 9 and October 12.  Entry forms are available from all SPAR, Superspar and Kwikspar stores, or online at to www.spar.co.za orwww.sparwomensrace.co.za.

Irvette van Zyl was all smiles as she crossed the finishing line at the Pretoria SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge in a course record time of 33.32 minutes on Saturday. It was her first Challenge win since 2012.

Her Nedbank teammate, Rutendo Nyahora, was second, in 33.50, and the winner of last week’s Durban Challenge, Lebogang Phalula (Transnet) was third in 34.05. Phalula’s twin sister, Diana-Lebo was fourth in 34.17 and Rene Kalmer (Modern Athlete) was fifth, in 34.40.

The top runners started in a bunch, with Van Zyl and Kalmer taking the early lead, but after two kilometres, the leading group started spreading out. The lead changed hands between Van Zyl and the Phalula sisters, until six kilometres, when Van Zyl surged to the front. Running easily, she was in complete command and never looked like losing. “This means a lot to me,” said Van Zyl.
“I was determined to make top three, and I feel blessed to have won. I was more relaxed than I was in Durban last week, and I didn’t start as fast as I did there. I wasn’t under any pressure, and that helped.”

She said she had a couple of bad patches between three and five kilometres, but once she went into the lead after six, she just concentrated on her running style, and this paid off.
“I knew the last two kilometres were downhill, and that helped.”

She said the Pretoria race had always been her favourite Challenge race. “My first win was in Pretoria, as a junior. It is always a tough race, because it is in the afternoon, but I like tough races. There were a lot of hills, which I don’t like as much as I did when I was younger, but it was a tough course, and that suits me.”

Van Zyl said she would try to win the Johannesburg race as well, but her first priority was the Cape Town marathon on September 21. “Marathons are the real test of your ability as an athlete, but I will always enjoy the shorter distances,” said Van Zyl.

Nyahora said she had struggled to keep up with the lead bunch at the start, but found herself getting stronger as the race went on. “I wanted a top three finish, and I could see the Phalulas were struggling a bit, so I was happy when I passed both of them.” Lebogang Phalula, who won in Durban last week, said she had started too fast. “I battled on the hills,” she said.
“But I had something to prove, because I tested positive for a banned substance in Pretoria a few years ago. I wanted to show that I was back.”

Diana-Lebo Phalula, who won the Cape Town and Port Elizabeth races in record times, still holds the lead on the SPAR Grand Prix ladder, and seems likely to win the Nissan Micra awarded to the top runner after the Johannesburg race in October.

More than 26 000 runners entered the 10km Challenge and the 5km Fun Run, and Supersport Park was a sea of blue t-shirts as the runners streamed onto the cricket field.

With two races to go in the SPAR Grand Prix Series, Diana-Lebo Phalula still appears to have the title in her grasp, with a commanding 27 point lead over her nearest rival.

Phalula finished fourth in the Durban SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge on Sunday, but her dominant performance in the first two races of the year, in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, where she achieved maximum Grand Prix points by winning both in record times, mean that she has collected a total of 77 points.

Phalula’s twin sister, Lebogang, won the Durban race after she and Diana-Lebo had led for most of the way. With about two kilometres to go, Diana-Lebo, who had a hamstring strain, told her sister to go without her and Lebogang raced away to win her first Challenge title since 2008. She broke down in tears as she crossed the line, sobbing that she had won the race for her sister.

While Diana-Lebo Phalula appears to have at least one hand on the key to the Nissan Micra that will be presented to the Grand Prix winner, the race for second place is hotting up. Three times Grand Prix winner, Rene Kalmer, who came third in Durban, is currently in second place, with 50 points, just one point ahead of last year’s Grand Prix winner, Mapaseka Makhanya, who finished sixth in Durban.

Lebogang Phalula’s win on Sunday has moved her from sixth to fourth position on the log, with 39 points, nine ahead of Nolene Conrad and Christine Kalmer, who have 30 points each.
Saturday’s Challenge race in Pretoria appears likely to be as much of a thriller as the Durban race. The top runners will all be in action, and with just one race after that, they will be going all out to accumulate as many points as possible. Irvette van Zyl, two-times Grand Prix winner, had a disappointing run in Durban, finishing in fifth place after a scintillating run in Stellenbosch earlier in August, where she won the Totalsports women’s 10km in 32.20 minutes. She has won the Pretoria race on several occasions, and she has let it be known that she intends to win this one. The Phalula twins are also both determined to win, and Rene Kalmer can never be ruled out, while last year’s winner, Makhanya, has a point to prove.

In the club competition, Boxer are well in the lead with 165 points, followed by Maxed Elite, with 78. Nedbank and Transnet are in joint third position, with 77 points each.

Transnet runner Lebogang Phalula registered her first SPAR Women’s 10km victory since 2008 when she beat a very strong field to win the 25th Durban Challenge in 33.06 minutes on Sunday.
Rutendo Nyahora (Nedbank) was second in 33.41, followed closely by Rene Kalmer (Modern Athlete) in 33.49.

The race started at a very fast pace, with Irvette van Zyl, who recently ran the third fastest time by a South African woman, taking the early lead. She was in a pack that included Phalula, her twin sister, Diana-Lebo, and the defending champion, Mapaseka Makhanya.

They ran in a group for the first three kilometres, when the Phalula sisters broke away. By five kilometres, they were well ahead of the pack, with Lebogang taking the lead over Diana-Lebo, who is the front-runner in the SPAR Grand Prix series.

“I could see my sister was struggling. She has a bit of a hamstring injury and eventually she told me to go and win the race for her,” said Lebogang, who broke down in tears after crossing the finish line. “I needed to win this race to prove myself,” she said. “I’ve had problems after I tested positive for a banned stimulant in Pretoria, but I’m now running clean and proud.”

Nyahora and Kalmer started slower than the leading pack, but gradually began to reel them in. Van Zyl dropped back, as did Makhanya. “I had a good race,” said Nyahora. “Rene (Kalmer) and I ran together from about three kilometres. She was pushing me, and I felt stronger as the race went on. The others started too fast for me, but Rene and I worked well together. We caught Irvette (Van Zyl) first, then Mapaseka (Makhanya) and then we passed Lebo.

“I passed Rene with about 800 metres to go.” Kalmer said she was very happy with her podium finish. “It was a very strong field, and I knew it was going to be a very fast start. I just stuck to my own game plan, and it worked. “I knew there would be a lot of pressure on Irvette because of her very fast time two weeks ago, and the Phalula sisters were also under pressure. But there was no pressure on me.”

Diana-Lebo finished fourth, Van Zyl fifth and Makhanya sixth. The top runners will all be in action again in a week’s time, when they run the Pretoria leg of the SPAR Challenge series, which will be run at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Saturday afternoon. More than 14 000 women took part in the 10km Challenge and the 5km Fun Run.

With preparation for the People’s Race in full swing, Soweto and South Africa’s athletics community at large eagerly await race day set for November 2nd. Following the official announcement on 29th July, the Nike Soweto Marathon steering community is confident that the actions and procedures put into place will ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for all those attending.

This year’s introduction of international sports brand, Nike means the Soweto Marathon and its planning committee now have the support and access to the brands wealth of experience as they take the helm of title sponsor.

The Gauteng Provincial Government will also play an important role given their expertise in hosting large scale sporting events, showcasing Gauteng as a world class sporting hub of the country.

“We support the Gauteng Provincial Governments strategy to become a race destination of choice for local and international events. With the right partners on-board we are well on our way to making the Nike Soweto Marathon a highlight on the Gauteng race calendar for years to come,” says. Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) General Manager, Mandla Radebe.

All measures have been put in place to ensure runners have an enjoyable experience, from start to finish as partners have placed high priority on the logistical components of the race. Stringent safety and security processes along with a truly inspiring route will take the event experience to new heights and restore the Soweto Marathon to its flagship status. Race day will see trained Marshalls along the route to keep runners safe as well as rapid response vehicles with a skilled supporting first aid teams on hand to help athletes along the route.

“Runners should register early to avoid disappointment as there are only 7000 spots per category, with spots anticipated to fill up quickly for the 10km, 21km and 42km marathon as registration is not available on race day. Race updates will be shared with all runners via our website, but also via Twitter @sowetomarathon,” Explains Banele Sindani, Chief Executive of the Soweto Marathon Trust.

Routes selected for the three race categories will showcase Soweto in all its beauty and rich heritage, with the start and finish based at the Nasrec Expo Centre for ease of access for participants and supporters. There will be ample parking for all runners with a dedicated team assisting to point runners to the start line on arrival and hydration stations situated every 3kms of each of the three routes.

With registration currently open for the race, running clubs registered with Athletics South Africa (ASA) are able to register for the race by simply visiting the official race website: www.sowetomarathon.com.

Athletes can also register at Nike Stores at The Zone @ Rosebank and Sandton City Mall as well as the Orlando Community Centre in Soweto, Run-aWay Store in Pretoria and The Sweat Shops in both Johannesburg and Pretoria.

After a break of nearly four months, the SPAR Women’s Grand Prix gets under way again over the next two weekends, with the Durban and Pretoria Challenge races in quick succession, and the race to the Grand Prix title is hotting up with the return to form of two-time Grand Prix winner, Irvette van Zyl.

The Durban race will be run from Kingsmead on Sunday August 24 and the Pretoria Challenge takes place on Saturday August 30 at Supersport Park in Centurion.

Maxed Elite runner Diana-Lebo Phalula has a headstart after winning the Cape Town and Port Elizabeth races. With bonus points for beating the previous years’ time in both races, she now has a massive 60 points on the leaderboard – 26 ahead of her nearest rival, Mapaseka Makhanya.
Boxer’s Makhanya, who was last year’s Grand Prix winner, finished fifth in Cape Town and third in Port Elizabeth and has a total of 34 points. She is just two points ahead of three times Grand Prix winner, Rene Kalmer of Modern Athlete. Kalmer finished eighth in Cape Town and second in Port Elizabeth. Two points behind her, with 30 points, is Nolene Conrad (Boxer), who finished third in Cape Town and ninth in Port Elizabeth.

While Phalula may feel she has one hand on the key to the Nissan Micra which will be presented to the overall Grand Prix winner, she may be casting a nervous eye over her shoulder at Van Zyl, who has come storming back into contention after struggling with injuries for nearly two years.
Nedbank’s Van Zyl gave notice on August 9 that she was once again a force to be reckoned with when she won the Totalsports Women’s race in 32.20 minutes – the third fastest 10km by a South African woman. Van Zyl’s time equaled that set up by 17-year old Zola Budd in Bloemfontein in 1983.
Van Zyl recently changed coaches and says the training programme devised by Lindsey Parry has brought her back to where she was before she was injured.

“For the first time in 15 months, I’m running pain free. Lindsey had me swimming and cycling during my rehab period, and this kept me fit. Now I’m faster than I was before my injury.
“I am feeling very good, and I am over the moon about my time in Stellenbosch. It came as a bit of a surprise – I’ve been preparing for the Cape Town Marathon in September and didn’t think I had the speed for a time like that.”

Phalula won the Port Elizabeth Challenge in 32.27, so there could be a great tussle for line honours in Durban between Phalula and Van Zyl, while Makhanya and Kalmer can be expected to give them a good run for their money in both races. “I think it’s going to be a very fast race,” said Van Zyl.
“Lebo, Mapaseka, Rene and I will all be giving it our all.”

Going up the Mountain

LAST Saturday was National Women’s Day, and members of the fairer sex played a significant role in the organisation of, and participation in, the Oak Cottage KwikSpar Mountain Drive half-marathon held in Grahamstown – even the sponsors’ Jill White was an ever present figure at the start and finish venue.
Of the 320 runners and 24 walkers who conquered the mountain in what many described as a challenging 21,1-kilometre race, no less than 133 were women.
The highly-successful event was organised by Grahamstown Run/Walk for Life Athletics Club, having taken over that duty from Albany Road Runners who had organised it for more than ten years.
Also undergoing changes were the start and finish venues, as well as portions of the route. This year’s event started and finished at Rhodes University’s Prospect sports fields, moving across town from the Albany Sports Club.
Most of the entries received were from Port Elizabeth, Uitenhage and Despatch club members, mainly because it was a participation league event held under the auspices of Eastern Province Athletics, and league points were at stake.
There were also runners from Queenstown, Somerset East, Port Alfred and East London, while a good number of Rhodes students also entered and enjoyed the tour of the city and its surrounds.
Each finisher received a very smart medal and ribbon which drew very favourable comments from participants. The medals were sponsored by the Eastern Cape Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture.
Generous cash prizes went the way of the leading finishers in the overall finishing positions as well as the various categories, while a host of spot prizes were handed out liberally.
A member of Port Elizabeth-based club Nedbank said she loved her medal, “and it was all worth it”, while a Charlo runner commented: “It’s a very nice medal – I’m proud to display it.”
Overall winner on the day was 35-year-old Lungile Gongqa with no club affiliation – he finished in 1 hour 09 minutes 01 second to set a new course record, while Mthandazo Qhna of Nedbank was runner-up in 1:10:52. In third place was Melikhaya Frans, also of Nedbank, in 1:12:11.
Basie Bonaparte of Albany Road Runners showed a clean pair of heels to many runners half his age – the 48-year-old was the first member of a Grahamstown club to finish. He finished in 1:19:29.
First woman over the finish line on what is normally a soccer ground was Ntombesintu Mfunzi of Nedbank in 1:26:50, with clubmate Babalwa Ngcoko next in 1:38:48, and Siphokazi Nojoko of Motherwell placed third in 1:39:24.
First Grahamstown woman to finish was Christine Coppinger – the former Rhodian was 74th overall in 1:43:51. Next local woman was Mandy Jackson, 87th in 1:48:41, while the third-placed was Jade de Sousa, 107th in 1:53:19.
The King and Queen of the Mountain titles went to Port Elizabeth runners – Lungile Gongqa and Ntombesintu Mfunzi respectively.
Held in conjunction with the run was a race over the same course for walkers. Overall winner was Richard Alexander of Albany in 2 hrs 22 mins 25 secs, with Andre Pienaar of Bluewater Bay runner-up eleven minutes later. Karen Davies of Grahamstown was third overall, and first woman, finishing in 2:47:49.
Organising club, Run/Walk for Life Athletics Club, extended its sincere thanks to all the sponsors of the race, and those who assisted in one form or another – Oak Cottage KwikSpar (title sponsor and sponsor of the bottles of Spar spring water handed to finishers); Tops Bottle Store; CM Heunis Building Contractors; Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture; Health & Sport Inc (offered free massages to tired and sore muscles at the finish); Rhodes University Sports Administration for the facilities; Coca-Cola; 6SAI Battalion for providing marshals and sweep vehicle; Cameron Smailes for providing the sound system and music; Thackers Photography; plus VGHS, Round Table, Rotary, CrossFit, 6SAI Battalion and Rhodes Athletics Club for manning refreshment stations.
A group of Port Elizabeth athletes, who compete in races in that city almost every weekend, said they enjoyed the race, though they found the last four kilometres a bit tough after “climbing the mountain”. They said the refreshment stations were excellently run, the marshals did a fine job, and the medals were outstanding.

The Soweto Marathon has been revived by multiple partners led by Central Gauteng Athletics and Soweto Marathon Trust, with global sports brand, Nike, as the new title sponsor and partner of what is undoubtedly the people’s race.

The race, confirmed for November 2, 2014, will see the organisers, Central Gauteng Athletics and Soweto Marathon Trust, supported by its partners Gauteng Provincial Government, City of Joburg, Schneider Electric and the National Lottery hosting 21,000 runners on the streets of Soweto, as the race traverses past iconic landmarks and heritage sites.

“The Soweto Marathon started in 1992, and has since become a historical race and premier event on the race calendar, and with our new title sponsor and partners, we want to collectively restore the race to its former flagship status,” said Aleck Skhosana, President of Athletics South Africa.

“We are committed to delivering a running event that will re-ignite a sense of community, and continue a legacy, and are proud to welcome Nike on board as this year’s title sponsor. Our race partners share in the vision to deliver an event that is based on a structure that is credible and mirrors the manner of governance and management of other events of this magnitude.”

Nike continues to inspire and enable athletes around the world, to run faster and longer to achieve their personal best, and the brand’s partnership with the Soweto Marathon provides the perfect platform for runners to Just Do It.

Says Nike Running Brand Manager, Simi Adeagbo: “we’re excited to bring a new challenge to runners with the introduction of the 21.1 kilometer race in what was traditionally a 10 and 42.2 kilometer event. Nike is enabling the running movement and this experience is set to push runners, from novice to established, and we will be there with our Nike+ running app and run clubs to help our runners all the way to the finish line.”

The event this year has garnered the support of sport leaders, government and official media partner SABC.

Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Development Clr Chris Vondo, says the City of Johannesburg- is ready to deliver another world class event, with the start and finish lines pegged at NASREC Expo Centre.

“The Nike Soweto Marathon is the most spectator supported marathon in the country and is an event which stimulates the socio-economic benefit within the community of Soweto, and we are committed to creating an experience for the community at large. This is the only marathon in the country that runs across a township touching key historic sites, and this is exciting for Joburg. Some of these sites play a significant role in preserving and showcasing our City’s heritage, diversity of cultures and most of all it talks to the dynamic identity of this City.”

The support of the partners is recognized by Gauteng Provincial Government, who is thrilled to have the race back.

“We are confident that the Nike Soweto Marathon will once again be acknowledged as a premium sporting event showcasing Gauteng as the home of champions as well as cultural, sporting and entertainment hub of South Africa,” said MEC of Sports; Arts; Culture and Recreation, Honourable, Ms Malebatsi Bopape.

With a large winning purse for top finishers in each category, the Nike Soweto Marathon is one of the richest races in the country. More importantly is the confirmation that the race is a qualifying event for the major ultra-marathons in South Africa.

Says race organizer, Banele Sindani of the Soweto Marathon Trust: “It is invigorating to have the resources and support of all our partners and sponsors, who understand the importance of this race to the elite runners, while putting on a great showcase for the community at large.”

Reflecting on the significance of the race, South African road runner champions, Ludwick Mamabolo, Charne Bosman and Mapaseka Makhanya, echo the sentiments of the people’s race being revived and look forward to lining up on the start on race day.

Registration for the Nike Soweto Marathon is open via the official race website: www.sowetomarathon.com

Runners can also register in store at Nike Stores at The Zone @ Rosebank and Sandton City Mall, the Orlando Community Centre in Soweto, Run-aWay Store in Pretoria, and The Sweat Shops in Johannesburg and Pretoria.

The Nike Soweto Marathon 10 kilometer race is open to runners aged 15 years and older, with the race fee pegged at R100.00 for the Open category, and R75.00 for students and grand masters. Race start is 07h00.

The 21.1 kilometer event, which starts at 06h30, is open to runners aged 16 years and older, with the race fee pegged at R130.00 for the Open Category, and R90.00 for students and grand masters.

The main event, which starts at 06h00, will be open to all runners over the age of 20 years, with the Open category race fee set at R170.00 and R125.00 for students and grand masters.

Runners will receive a race pack including their race number and a commemorative t-shirt.