Defending her title in sublime fashion, Tayla Kavanagh turned the Maritzburg SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge into a one-woman show on Sunday, 17 August.
This was no ordinary victory either — it marked the third consecutive year that the Durban athlete claimed the top spot in Pietermaritzburg, and she did it in style. Running in the colours of Hollywood Athletics Club, Kavanagh clocked an impressive 32:55, slicing a massive 77 seconds off her 2024 winning time and comfortably improving on her 2023 finish of 34:07.
Reflecting on her race, Kavanagh said:
“It was a lovely morning out on the streets of PMB, I always thoroughly enjoy participating in the SPAR Women’s 10km leg here in Pietermaritzburg. I had a pleasant race and I’m really happy with how it went. The weather was warmer than it had been in the past few weeks, but it was still favourable conditions to run in.”
She added:
“I was hoping to run a solid effort this morning. I didn’t have a specific time in mind, but I just wanted to execute a good race. I do some of my training in Maritzburg, so this race always feels like a home race for me! I also really relish the challenging hilly route and the community of women who come together to run this race.”
Kavanagh made her intentions clear early on, breaking away from the pack after the 2km mark, when the course’s first inclines began. She steadily stretched her lead, pulling away from Kenyan runner Florence Nyaingiri, who eventually finished second in 35:25 — two and a half minutes behind.
“We set off the race with a few of us running pretty strong together at the start, at around 2km’s is where the first inclines began and I know I really enjoy the hills and climbs so I would say just after the 2km marker I decided I would take the lead,” Kavanagh explained.
By 4.5km, she was already 45 seconds clear, passing the split in 15:12 compared to Nyaingiri’s 15:57.
The 24-year-old’s dominance comes in the middle of a standout year. Just one night earlier, she was crowned KZN Athletics Female Road Runner of the Year, she recently ran a blistering 31:53 PB at the Durban Totalsports Women’s Race, and she placed fifth overall at the Durban SPAR Women’s Challenge in June with a 32:32.
“I ran my PB at the Totalsports race in Durban in a time of 31:53. I have been dipping under 33 minutes numerous times over the last few years and only recently just ran under 32 minutes once so far. I look forward to racing my club’s race at the end of August, in the HollywoodBets Durban 10km,” she said.
For visiting athlete Florence Nyaingiri, running her first-ever Maritzburg race was a memorable experience. Based in Iten, Kenya’s world-famous training hub, she admitted the race wasn’t easy:
“It was a tough route and being so hot didn’t help, but I had a fantastic time running here and can’t wait to return next year to challenge for the top spot.”
Third place went to Likeleli Majara of Nedbank ByGrace Running Club in Bloemfontein, who crossed the line in 36:01.
This year’s race saw 3,696 women take to the streets around Alexandra Park and Pietermaritzburg’s CBD. It was also the sixth sold-out event in the SPAR Women’s Challenge Series, which hosts eight races across South Africa.
At the prize-giving, SPAR KZN made a meaningful contribution by handing over a R25,000 donation to the Childhood Cancer Foundation South Africa (Choc House Maritzburg), with R5 from every entry going to the charity.
Results
Overall:
-
Tayla Kavanagh 32:55
-
Florence Nyaingiri 35:25
-
Likeleli Majara 36:01
-
Bathobile Mkhize 36:41
-
Malineo Mahloko 37:11
-
Janie Grundling 37:38
-
Makhosi Mhlongo 38:24
-
Luzaan de Wit 39:00
-
Leah Edwards 41:49
-
Janene Carey 42:07
Junior
1 Leah Edwards 41.49; 2 Courtney van Wyngaard 43.16; 3 Hannah Sewlal 48.03
Senior
1 Tayla Kavanagh 32.55; 2 Florence Nyaingiri 35.25; 3 Likeleli Majara 36.01
40 – 49
1 Janie Grundling 37.38; 2 Makhosi Mhlongo 38.24; 3 Mabusi Makhunga 42.36
50 – 59
1 Janene Carey 42.07; 2 Shani Silver 42.15; 3 Tholakele Ngcobo 50.18
60 -69
1 Grace de Oliviera 46.51; 2 Phillipa Lycett 01:05.39; 3 Kathy Baxter 01:07.24
70 – 79
1 Patricia Fisher 57.07; 2 Thandiwe Mashimane 01:04.37; 3 Jeanette Eglington 01:08.15