Shai’s 24-hour double fuels ASA 10km ambition
She grabbed a silver at the CGA cross-country champs on August 15 and was 10th a day later at the Totalsports Women's Race Joburg.
Barely 24 hours after claiming silver at the CGA cross-country championships, Maria Shai produced another impressive performance, finishing in the top 10 of the elite women’s 10km at the Totalsports Women’s Race Joburg at Marks Park on August 16.
The Daveyton resident clocked 39:06 to finish 10th overall and fourth in the sub-veteran category as she lined up alongside some of South Africa’s leading female distance runners, including national 10km and marathon record holder Glenrose Xaba and Olympian Irvette van Zyl.
Shai was locked in a fierce battle with Boxer AC teammate Cornelia Joubert for the provincial sub-veteran title at the CGA championships at Germiston Soccer Club the previous day and was at it again at Marks Park.
Joubert once again beat Shai, finishing third in the sub-veteran category in 38:19, behind winner Van Zyl, who won in 34:23, and runner-up Emma Pallant-Browne (34:44).
Xaba claimed overall honours in 32:11, with Kenyan Brenda Kenei second, 17 seconds adrift, and Cacisile Sosibo, who won the CGA senior women’s 10km title the previous day, third in 34:01.
“I am happy with my progress. I’m coming back from a recent accident and I also have a newborn, who is turning one on August 28,” said Shai.
Her bigger target is securing qualification for the ASA 10km championships, which will be incorporated into the Let’s Go Potch10km race on October 17.
With a 10km personal best of 35:02, Shai needs to break 38 minutes to qualify to represent CGA at the national championships — a challenge she has embraced despite admitting that the task will not be easy.
She is still finding her rhythm a year after giving birth, but her season’s best of 38:02 at the ABSA Run Your City Durban 10K has given her confidence that she can make the breakthrough.
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“I’m happy I’m coming back. I aim to represent our province at the national 10km championships.”
That ambition was evident at the CGA championships, where Shai took the lead from the gun in the sub-veteran women’s 4km before Joubert overhauled her in the second lap to win in 15:12. Shai finished second in 15:23.
The race marked the climax of a season-long duel between the Boxer AC teammates.
“I’m happy with how I performed. I had planned to enter the women’s 10km, but because I had the Totalsports race the following day, I settled for the 4km. Overall, I’m happy with the race and how I executed it,” said Shai.
Her immediate focus is helping CGA dominate the sub-veteran women’s category at the ASA cross-country championships in Pretoria on September 5.
However, Shai would also like the opportunity to line up in the senior women’s 10km, where she believes she can contribute to the province’s medal challenge.
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