TZANEEN – Tzaneen’s athletes put on a strong performance at the annual Spar Tuffy 4-in-1 Marathon on Saturday, tackling the mountainous Agatha course with determination.

This year’s event had the highest number of participants since the Tuffy’s inception with 1 500 people registering to run on the day.

Nadia Claasen of the Tzaneen Marathon Club made a remarkable showing in the 21.1km race, securing second place with a time of 01:59:08. Meanwhile, Thembi Mthetho from Nkowankowa Athletics Club also impressed, finishing second in the women’s 10km race with a time of 46:09.

Claasen told the Herald that she was thrilled to earn a podium finish, especially since she had not expected to place.

“My goal was just to enjoy the race, but as I ran, I felt strong and decided to give it my all. I saved my energy for the last 3km, and I was shocked when they told me I had finished second,” she said. Claasen’s next challenge is the Magoebas Ultra, a trail run set for March 22.

Tzaneen’s male athletes also made their mark across various race categories.

Nkateko Ndlala, a Tzaneen resident representing the University of Limpopo Athletics Club, finished fourth in the 42.2km marathon with a time of 03:10:13, missing a podium finish by just 35 seconds.

Richard Noel and Arthur Davies of the Ofcalaco Marathon Club also delivered strong performances, finishing in 04:33:07 and 04:40:12, respectively. Not far behind was Letaba Road Runners’ Timothy Ntimbana, who completed his race in 04:41:34.

Several local runners stood out in the 21.1km half-marathon. Thomas Arnoldus de Wet and Michael Viljoen of the Tzaneen Marathon Club crossed the finish line at 01:41:04 and 01:47:16, respectively.

Nkowankowa Athletics Club’s Clemence Mupopa also put in a solid effort, completing his race in 01:54:06, while Letaba Road Runners’ Gift Khosa followed closely behind, finishing in 02:03:22.

The winner of the Tuffy 42.2km men’s race was seasoned runner Rufus Photo in a time of 02:43:18. In the women’s 42.2km, Anna Maponya from the University of Limpopo emerged victorious, finishing in 03:50:13.

She was followed by Makoma Lebea from Zwakala Athletics Club, who claimed second place in 03:58:17. In the 21.1km race, Emmanuel Ramohale took top honours in the men’s category with a time of 01:20:56, while Rosaline Isaiah dominated the women’s category, finishing in 01:38:53.

The 10km race also saw impressive performances, with Isaaic Moshia winning the men’s event in 34:27 and Sedzani Maluta triumphing in the women’s race with a time of 45:08.

Race organiser Paul Zaymaan, said he is pleased with how the event concluded and thanked participants and the sponsors of the event.