Great start at Roodepoort parkrun
469 joggers and walkers at Roodepoort's second parkrun of the year.
The second parkrun of 2025 saw 469 walkers, joggers and runners line up at the starting line at the Len Rutter Park, excitedly waiting for the run director to set them off.
For many, the parkrun is not only an event offering anyone an opportunity to get fit but also an opportunity to make friends and network while having fun.
According to Roodepoort ambassador Pascal Simba, they hosted their first parkrun of the year on New Year’s Day, and they were excited about the turnout.
“There are two special days in a year [Freedom Day and New Year’s Day] where we are allowed to host an event on any other day than Saturday,” he said.
The first male finisher was Koketso Qina with an unbeatable 20:37 followed closely by Thami Nzama with a finishing time of 21:27. In the female category Maryna Bijker finished the crossing line in a time of 22:58 and Eva Carson finished about three minutes later with 24:09.
On the honours board, Herman de Klerk was celebrating his 200th milestone alongside Richard Gird’s 250th. Faith Hlela and Mahlomola Khumalo were also celebrating their 50th parkrun milestone. Speaking to the Roodepoort Record, Mahlomola mentioned that he started his parkrun journey in 2022 mainly to keep fit.
“I’m very proud of myself for achieving this goal. It feels good knowing that I have been consistent for about a year,” he says.
The Roodepoort parkrun takes place every Saturday at 08:00 at Len Rutter Park in Florida Park. The event is free; all you have to do is register on www.parkrun.co.za, print out your barcode, and you are ready to become part of the parkrun community.
