Kavanagh skipped the SA Road Running Championships in Gqeberha this weekend to focus on the Spar Grand Prix 10km race in Durban.
Distance runner Tayla Kavanagh after winning the first leg of the Spar Grand Prix in Cape Town earlier this year. Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
In the absence of defending champion Glenrose Xaba, series leader Tayla Kavanagh will line up as the firm favourite at the Durban leg of the Spar Grand Prix women’s 10km campaign on Sunday.
Xaba, who went unbeaten to win last year’s series, was set to miss this weekend’s race while preparing for the Peachtree 10km contest in Atlanta next week.
And with a number of other athletes potentially arriving with tired legs, after competing at the SA Road Running Championships in Gqeberha on Saturday, Kavanagh was expected to extend her series lead, having narrowly beaten Xaba at the opening leg of the Grand Prix in Cape Town in March.
Kavanagh’s strongest challenge is likely to come from Ethiopian athlete Selam Gebre, who missed the opening leg in Cape Town due to visa issues.
A percentage of each entry at Sunday’s mass participation race will go to the official race charity, iThemba Lethu.
The route remains the same as last year, starting on Masabalala Yengwa Avenue and finishing on the outer fields of Kings Park Rugby Stadium.
