Entries for annual mile race open
The founder of the Tom Tom Tembisa, Donald Mathipa, said the TomTom Tembisa Street Mile race will be held at the Moses Molelekwa Arts Centre in Tembisa on November 9.
He said the event will offer contestants courses and distances best suited to their running experience, so everyone will be able to join in the fun on the day.
“We are humbled by the increasing support received from both brands and our regular elite runners in the TomTom Tembisa Street Mile event,” said Mathipa.
“With TomTom specifically, they are so committed to running and exercise development as part of community upliftment. They have been a great support in the lead up to, and planning of, this event later on in the year,” he said.
Through the TomTom Tembisa Street Mile, Mathipa is hoping to help identify local athletic talent and revive athletics in the township, suburbs and local school as well as promote a healthy lifestyle within his community.
57 elite athletes have been invited to take part in this year’s elite races so that local, young talent will have the opportunity to interact with and learn from these professionals on the day.
“TomTom is proud to be part of this initiative. We support athletes to define and reach for their goals,” said Chantal Grobler, TomTom Southern Africa’s sport product manager.
“We are therefore thrilled to be given the opportunity to support the local Tembisa community by sponsoring this event.”
The inaugural race took place in December 2012, where a total of 38 athletes participated in the event. Dumisane Hlaselo, from the University of the Free State, won the race in a time of 4:13:26. Lebo Phalula won the women’s race in a time of 4:55:69.
As interest has increased in the event, it has grown to include additional race distances and courses to cater for a larger level of runners. There is also prize money up for grabs for the first three men and women who finish the mile, as well as the first 10 finishers of the elite men’s and women’s 10 kilometre races.
The race line up on the day:
07:45 – Elite Women’s 10km
08:00 – Mass 10km
09:45 – Girls U/15
10:00 – Boys U/15
10:15 – Walker’s Mile
10:30 – Elite Women’s Mile
10:45 – Elite Men’s Mile
Entries are limited to 1 500 and participants can register on the day for R50 per entry for the 10 kilometre races and R20 per entry for the mile races.
Twitter fans can use the hashtags #TembisaMile and #TomTomSA in the lead up to the event and on race day to keep their followers up to date with the action on the ground.
