Tadu Nare gains early series lead
The talented runner stormed to victory in the season opening Spar Grand Prix race
TWENTY-year-old Ethiopian runner Tadu Nare blitzed her way to victory in the first race of the 2021 Spar Grand Prix series held at Alexandra Park in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday.
The Nedbank runner crossed the 10km line in 32.22 minutes to claim the win and an early head start in the six-race series.
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This victory tasted extra sweet for the talented road runner who finished as runner-up to Namibian Helalia Johannes in the 2019 series.
Defending champion Johannes, alongside other elite runners like Irvette van Zyl and Gerda Steyn, all missed the opening race of the series, as they are all still recovering from their marathon stint at the Olympic Games in Tokyo earlier this month.
SA half marathon champion Glenrose Xaba of Boxer, had to settle for second place with her time of 33.40 minutes.
Tayla Kavanagh (20) of Murray & Roberts placed third in 33.50.
The event was run strictly according to Covid-19 protocols, with a limited field of elite runners, and no spectators allowed.
It was run over a looped course, described by the runners as mentally challenging.
Nare was pleased with her result, but thought she would have finished in 30 minutes on a flatter course.
However, Nare said she is using the Spar Grand Prix races as training runs in preparation for the Barcelona marathon in November, and would be wary of not burning herself out before the marathon.
The format for this year’s series is slightly different from previous years, with points being awarded for the first 25 runners home. There will be no time bonuses this year.
The winner of each race will win R25 000, with R17 500 for second place and R15 000 for third place.
The overall winner of the Spar Grand Prix will earn R190 000, with the runner-up bagging R90 000 and the third-placed athlete receiving R55 000.
The next race of the series will be in Cape Town on 4 September, followed by the Durban race on 11 September.
The Tshwane race will be run on Heritage Day, followed by the Johannesburg race on 3 October, before the season’s final race in Gqeberha on 9 October.
