Mbombela, Mpumalanga, South Africa: With four of the six 2023 SPAR Grand Prix races completed, defending champion Tadu Nare, (Nedbank Running Club, Ethiopia) is well-positioned to collect her third title in a row. Even though she is currently in fourth place, 16 points adrift of Grand Prix leader Selam Gebre (Nedbank Running Club, Ethiopia), Nare can take advantage of the rule that the final points table includes only the top four results of the season. While Gebre has run all four races so far, Nare has done only three, scoring a maximum 30 points each time. Another 30-pointer in either Tshwane of Johannesburg will give her an unassailable 120 points at the end of the season.
While 30 points is not automatically awarded for a win – 10 bonus points accrue only if the runner achieves the target time for the two inland races, in this case sub-34:40 for the 10km distance – Nare’s track record over the past three seasons suggests that achieving this in at least one race is likely.
After four consecutive second-place finishes so far, Gebre looks likely to finish at least second at the end. Only Nare can beat her.
The battle for the next two places is less certain. Glenrose Xaba (Boxer AC) has 96 points, six clear of Blandina Makatisi (Maxed Elite, Lesotho), but Makatisi beat Xaba in Mbombela and could chip away at her lead. But with effectively only a single race to count (both athletes have completed all four races so far,) it is likely that Xaba, South Africa’s most consistent distance runner for the past three years, will finish third.
A similar situation holds in the battle for fifth place where Cacisile Sosibo (Boxer AC) is on 75 points with rival Kesa Molotsane (Murray and Roberts AC) on 71. Both runners have done all 4 races.
The Sosibo/Molotsane competition has additional relevance in terms of the substantial prize money available to the top South African runners. With Xaba likely to end up top, the difference in prizes between second and third place adds more spice to the final two races.
The most intense competition has happened in the 50–59-year age category, where Janene Carey (Phantane AC) is on level-pegging with Ronel Thomas (Boxer). Both have won two races so far, finishing runner-up in the other two. With the final two races both being held at altitude, Thomas, who lives in Tshwane, may have a slight advantage.
Judy Bird (Boxer AC) continues to exert a total stranglehold on the 60+ age category. Bird has a perfect score of 40 points after four immaculate bonus points victories.
Finally, in the most wide-open category, 40-49 years, Simone Botha (Boxer AC) is the only runner to have competed in more than one race and has 11 points to her credit. Makhosi Mahlangu (Hollywood AC) is lying second with 10 points after scoring a bonus points victory in Durban.
In the club competition, Boxer AC is the runaway leader with 445 points to Nedbank RC’s 289. Hollywood AC has 108.
ENDS.
2023 SPAR GRAND PRIX CALENDAR
Cape Town – Sunday, 23 April 2023 – Green Point Precinct
Gqeberha – Saturday, 27 May 2023 – Pollok Beach, Summerstrand
Durban – Sunday, 25 June 2023 – Kings Park Stadium
Mbombela – Saturday, 15 July 2023 – Mbombela Stadium
Tshwane – Saturday, 5 August 2023 – SuperSport Park
Joburg – Sunday, 1 October 2023 – Marks Park Sporting Club
PLEASE SEE ATTACHED THE 2023 SPAR GRAND PRIX LEADER BOARD AFTER MBOMBELA
SPAR GRAND PRIX WEBSITE: https://www.sparwomensrace.co.za
MEDIA INFORMATION HUB: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1×2-WF_ln7BSm08Uzf5Uxoe5K2DT67W9P?usp=drive_link
FREE TO USE PICTURES
Attached please find free to use pictures with captions below.
Selam Gebre: Selam Gebre (Nedbank) of Ethiopia tops the SPAR Grand Prix leaderboard after the fourth race of the six-race series on Saturday in Mbombela. Her consistent performance of the first four race series has earned her enough points to position herself on top of the leaderboard. Picture credit: Reg Caldecott
Glenrose Xaba1: Glenrose Xaba (Boxer) is the leading South African on the SPAR Grand Prix leaderboard after the fourth race that took place on Saturday in Mbombela. Xaba’s consistency in the opening four races have positioned her second on the leaderboard. Picture credit: Reg Caldecott
Blandina Makatisi1: Lesotho athlete Blandina Makatisi (Maxed Elite) is in third position on the SPAR Grand Prix leaderboard after finishing fourth in the 10km SPAR Grand Prix Mbombela on Saturday. Picture Credit: Rogan Ward
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.