That Charlotte Venter is never short of support was evident during the final lap of the combined U13 boys’ and over-35 women’s 4km race at the seventh CGA cross-country league meeting in Tsakane on August 1.

The wheels appeared to come off for the Boksburg Athletic Club (BAC) runner after a demanding opening lap on the zig-zagging, undulating course around Tsakane Softball Stadium and the Faranani Multipurpose Centre, but her strong support system gave her the lift she needed to finish strongly.

Race winner Jessica Maitland-Stuart stretched the field from the gun, with Patricia Gouws of Jeppe Quondam, Boxer’s Jolandi Steenkamp and Venter following in single file.

Running at an average pace of about 4:40min/km, Venter could feel the pressure approaching the halfway mark as Ikhayalethu’s Ziningi Ndlovu and Springs Striders’ Odette van den Bergh began to close the gap.

As she turned at the exchange point to begin the second lap, Venter received a timely boost from her husband, Lucas, and son, Adrian, who stood along the finishing straight urging her on.

The encouragement was exactly what the Kempton Park resident, who represented CGA at the last two ASA cross-country championships in Vanderbijlpark (2024) and Middelburg (2025), needed.

From that point she found another gear, pulling away to finish second in the veteran women’s (40-44) category in 18:48 after completing the two-lap course.

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Although she placed fourth overall, behind Maitland-Stuart and 45-49 category runners Gouws and Steenkamp, the result provided the confidence boost she needed ahead of next week’s CGA champs, where she will target qualification for the ASA championships.

BAC’s blue-and-white colours were once again prominent throughout the meeting, with promising juniors and experienced veterans producing encouraging performances.

Engela Jansen van Vuuren finished third in the U10 girls’ 2km in 8:43, while Elani Ferreira continued her steady improvement by placing 12th in 10:24.

Adrian Venter crossed the line fourth in the U16 boys’ 4km in 16:00, while Deannè Ferreira battled to seventh place in the U16 girls’ 4km in 22:43.

Veteran Zachariah Mogotsi, a Comrades Marathon runner with 24 finishes, claimed fourth place in the men’s 60+ 6km after clocking 28:20 over the three-lap course.

The athletes now turn their attention to the provincials at Germiston Soccer Club on August 15, where they will aim to secure places in the provincial team for next month’s ASA nationals in Pretoria.

Also Read: Venter strides to bronze at champs