Local runner nabs third place
Running for the Shongweni Development Running Club, Sibonginiseni Ngcobo finished the race in a time of 34.13.
WITH a spring in their step, close to 1 250 runners took to the streets surrounding Gateway in the KGB 10km Spring run and walk and the KGB Holdings 5km fun run and walk with Lucky Madlala and Sithembile Radebe claiming the honours in the 10km race.
Madlala and Radebe led from the start in the 10km. In the men’s race, Madlala was shadowed by Sibongiseni Ngcobo for 8.5km but 19-year-old Ngcobo, who ran in an 8km cross country meeting in Newlands that morning, ran out of steam, leaving Madlala to surge towards victory. Ncgobo’s sister, Sithembile Radebe (18) who also had 8km under her belt that day, ran a lonely race out at the front, dominating the women’s race.
Madlala running in the colours of Queensburgh Harriers finished in a time of 33.33. Club training partner and friend, Innocent Nyawose ran his personal best in 10km sneaking in under 34minutes with a 33.57 concluding his efforts in second place. First lady home, Radebe finished in a time of 45.19 followed by Lisa Collett in a time off 47.23 and third placed Yolanda Beeld with the clock on 48.17.
Both Madlala and Radebe were awarded with the hot spot prize, an award given to the first runner through the halfway mark. Radebe also scooped up the prize of first Junior.
In the 5km distance, Waterfall’s Bongumusa Mbatha representing Phantane Athletic Club and Boxer Athletic Club’s Daniella Arrigo from Umhlanga took the honours in the shorter race. Arrigo hunted down the fast paced Mbatha who specialises in 800m and 200m track events. The 14-year-old cross country athlete completed the run second overall in the co-ed race.
An enthusiastic race organiser, Anand Naicker from the host running club, Verulam Athletic Club said, “We could not have asked for a better event, it was a fantastic twilight run, the first of its kind in the area. The entire package, the multi-cultural entertainment at the finish, the ambience in the park, the eager runners and everyone assisting all played a magnificent part in the successful event. So much so that we have set the date for next year already. Diarise the 23 August 2014, same place!”
The course was a challenging run with a number of hills to tackle and corners to round with the start and finish at Chris Saunders Park in Umhlanga.
“The objectives of the event was to encourage the youth and adults in our community and surrounding areas to participate in an event that promotes a healthy lifestyle; and as part of our on-going campaign to raise funds to complete our much needed Universal Place of Worship and Spiritual Resource Centre in Somerset Park, Umhlanga,” said Dr. Suren Lutchminarayan: Public Relations Manager & Fun Run Convenor on behalf of the Umhlanga Hindu Society.
