Award ceremony held for SPAR Women’s Challenge winners
The winners from the Johannesburg leg of the SPAR women’s challenge marathon were announced in Sandton.
The winners of this year’s Johannesburg leg of the SPAR Women’s Challenge race were announced on October 31, in a well-attended prize-giving ceremony hosted at the Maslow Hotel.
Awards were given to the top three finishing runners over the ages of 60, runners aged between 50 and 59, and runners aged between 40 and 49.
The SPAR Women’s Grand Prix 10km Series is held annually in six South African cities. The Johannesburg leg of the 2023 series was held at the Marks Sports Club in Emmarentia on October 1.
This Grand Prix race series is the first of its kind in South Africa and drew an approximate participation tally of 70 000 racers across the nation. The Johannesburg leg of the SPAR Women’s Challenge had 9 000 participants.
This race is part of SPAR’s continued work towards catalysing an ending to the gender-based violence (GBV) pandemic in the world, particularly in South Africa.
“It’s an awesome event that we support,” said SPAR’s representative Maxine D’Amico. “Just to see women from all walks of life come together was phenomenal, just beautiful – families together, moms, daughters, kids, all generations coming together in support of ending gender-based violence.”
The top 10 finishing participants were also announced, including an inaugural award for the first South African woman to cross the finish line in Johannesburg.
Glenrose Xaba won this prestigious prize, finishing the challenge in fourth place. Ethiopian runner Tadu Nare came in first place, winning herself a cheque to the value of R200 000.
Nare said, “I want to encourage young South African athletes to use the SPAR Grand Prix series as their backbone for speed and endurance. My first SPAR race as a junior was my first race internationally. I remember it so clearly. It changed the whole of my life and the way I think.”
Glenrose Xaba said she felt blessed to be the first South African to receive the additional prize money. “We thank the SPAR Women’s series for motivating us and for helping us to compete with our sisters from Ethiopia, Kenya and Zimbabwe. I think winning this award will made me work harder in future.”
The top 5 finishers were:
- Tadu Nare (Ethiopia)
- Selam Gebre (Ethiopia)
- Blandina Makatisi (Lesotho)
- Glenrose Xaba (RSA)
- Cacisile Sosibo (RSA).
