SPAR Grand Prix Awards see SA’s best female road runners honoured
KEMPTON PARK – South Africa's top female road runners are honoured for their achievements at the 13th annual SPAR Grand Prix.
It was an event for sipping wine with high-profile sport stars in beautiful evening dresses when South Africa’s top female road runners were honoured at the SPAR Grand Prix Awards.
Emperors Palace was the place to be on 18 October after organisers finished calculating the points accumulated by runners at the six SPAR Women’s Challenge races in Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Durban, Tshwane, Pietermaritzburg and Joburg.
The winner of the open category was never in doubt, with Namibian runner Helalia Johannes (Nedbank) winning all six races in record time. She earned R185 000 for her efforts. She was followed by Tadu Naru (Nedbank) and Kesa Molotsane (Murray and Roberts), leaving Nedbank Running Club the winners of the team event.
Last year’s winner, Glenrose Xaba (Boxer) finished sixth.
SPAR marketing director Mike Prentice opened proceedings by congratulating all the runners, adding that the opening of the grand prix’s prizes to international runners saw South Africans also up the ante in the 13th annual series.
“This is the only running series in South Africa totally committed to women runners,” he said.
“We gave away, in total, prize money of R900 000 and saw 150 000 women participate across South Africa.”
Series coordinator, Ian Laxton highlighted the fact that before the grand prix was officially running, SPAR was holding races for women since 1990.
“From the beginning, this series has been a nursery of running talent in South Africa,” he said.
“It motivates and develops talent. This year foreign runners have changed the complexion of the race too.”
Laxton’s wife, Sonja (71) ran her 100th SPAR race in the Joburg event on 6 October, where SPAR also presented her
with a R15 000 donation for her chosen charity, Goldilocks and the Bear Foundation.
She received a life-time achievement award at the awards ceremony.
“I feel honoured and I thank SPAR for their R15 000,” the Melrose resident said.
She added that she and her husband planned to retire in Cape Town next year. This would make attending some races easier for her and she still planned to visit for the Joburg and Tshwane races.
Category winners
Juniors
1 Tadu Naru (Nedbank)
2 Tayla Kavanagh (Murray and Roberts)
3 Chante Dixon (Murray and Roberts)
Age 40–49
1 Bulelwa Simae (Boxer)
2 Janene Carey (Boxer)
3 Charne Bosman (Murray and Roberts)
Age 50–59
1 Grace de Oliveira (Murray and Roberts)
2 Judy Bird (Murray and Roberts)
3 Maria Bendana (Morningside)
Age 60+
1 Olga Howard (Nedbank)
2 Margie Saunders (Nedbank)
3 Nancy Will (Pinelands)
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