Gqeberha, Eastern Cape: The 2022 SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge Grand Prix looks set to for an exciting start in Gqeberha this weekend, when international and domestic road running stars line up at the Nelson Mandela University on Saturday morning.
The previous two SPAR Grand Prix winners, Helalia Johannes of Namibia and Tadu Nare of Ethiopia, will be battling it out for top honours. Now a veteran, Johannes earned maximum points in 2019, winning every race in record time. She missed the 2021 series, where Nare achieved a clean sweep. Nare went on to win her maiden marathon in Barcelona and will be brimming with confidence. The tussle between the two Nedbank runners should provide some thrilling running. Another Ethiopian runner, Selam Gebre, will be making her SPAR Grand Prix debut and could cause some waves.
Others expected to shine include the evergreen three-times SPAR Grand Prix winner, Irvette van Zyl, (Nedbank) who finished second in the Two Oceans ultra-marathon in April; 2017 winner Kesa Moletsane (Murray & Roberts), who was runner-up in 2021 and rising stars Tayla Kavanagh (M&R) and Cacisile Sosibo (Boxer). The Phalula twins, Diana-Lebo and Lebogang (Boxer), are reported to be back at their best and Zimbabwean runner Patience Murowe (Nedbank) can never be ruled out.
After being crammed into eight weeks in 2021, the SPAR Grand Prix series returns to a calendar where the six races are spread out over a period of five months, giving the runners time to recover between races. The system of bonus points has also been reintroduced, which should make competition even fiercer, with the emphasis on fast times.
Although not back to the format of previous years, when thousands of women took part in each of the SPAR Women’s 10 km Challenge races, the events this year have been opened to 500 runners.
“Last year, we were privileged to host the closing race of the SPAR Grand Prix Series,” said SPAR Eastern Cape Sponsorship Manager Alan Stapleton. “Now we have the even greater privilege of hosting the opening event of the 2022 Series.”
“In 2021, we were blown away by the quality of the runners, and particularly by Tadu Nare’s dominance, which sadly was blunted by strong Gqeberha winds. This year we are hoping for a calm, wintery morning, with a route that should produce records and personal bests,” he said.
“SPAR’s flagship sponsorship, the SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge, has created an opportunity for us to celebrate women: their beauty, their power and their courage, and at the same time to underline SPAR’s commitment to raising awareness of the scourge of gender-based violence,” said Stapleton.
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2022 SPAR GRAND PRIX CALENDAR
Saturday, May 28 – Gqeberha
Sunday, June 26 – Durban
Saturday, July 16 – Mbombela
Saturday, August 6 – Tshwane
Sunday, October 2 – Johannesburg
Sunday, October 23 – Cape Town
SPAR GRAND PRIX WEBSITE
https://www.sparwomensrace.co.za
FREE TO USE PICTURES
Attached please find free to use pictures with captions below.
Helalia Johannes: 2019 SPAR Grand Prix champion, Helalia Johannes (Nedbank) from Namibia has confirmed her entry into Saturday’s 2022 SPAR Grand Prix series opening 10km race in Gqeberha. Picture Credit: Rogan Ward
Tadu Nare: Tadu Nare (Nedbank) of Ethiopia will be strong favourite to defend her title on Saturday’s 2022 SPAR Grand Prix series opening 10km race in Gqeberha. Picture Credit: Reg Caldecott
Tayla Kavanagh: 20-year-old Tayla Kavanagh (Murray & Roberts) who ran the fastest time (32.51) by a South African on South African soil last year in the Gqeberha leg of the SPAR Grand Prix will be one of the favorites this Saturday in season opening SPAR Grand Prix 10KM race in Gqeberha. In 2021 Kavanagh finished a strong second to race winner Tadu Nare (Nedbank) of Ethiopia in Gqeberha. Picture Credit: Reg Caldecott
Irvette van Zyl: Irvette van Zyl (Nedbank) is one of the local favorites for this Saturday’s 2022 SPAR Grand Prix series opening 10km race in Gqeberha. Picture Credit: Reg Caldecott
Phalula Twins: Former SPAR Grand Prix champions Lebo-Diana and Lebogang Phalula will lead the Boxer Athletics Club challenge in this Saturday’s 2022 SPAR Grand Prix series opening 10km race in Gqeberha. Picture Credit: Reg Caldecott
This media release was compiled and distributed by BLD Communications on behalf of the SPAR Grand Prix series. Media can contact Dineo Diphoko for further information on 083 300 8268 / dineo@thebldgroup.com.