from NJABULO BUTHELEZI in Durban
DURBAN, (CAJ News) – ETHIOPIAN Tadu Nare has made up for lost time by winning the Maritzburg Spar Grand Prix 10km race.
The 21-year-old finished in a time of 32,22 minutes, giving her a
head-start in the six-race series.
The South African half marathon champion, Glenrose Xaba of Boxer, was second, in 33,40 minutes and rising star, 20-year-old Tayla Kavanagh of Murray & Roberts was third, in 33,50.
The race, the first in this year’s Spar Grand Prix series, was run
strictly according to COVID-19 protocols, with a limited field of elite runners and no spectators allowed.
It was run over a three-kilometre course, described by the runners as challenging.
The open runners started three minutes before the category runners.
The format for this year’s Spar Grand Prix was slightly different from previous years, with points being awarded for the first 25 runners home.
There were no time bonuses for this year.
The winner of each race pocketed R25 000, with R17 500 for second place and R15 000 for third place.
The overall winner of the Spar Grand Prix earned R190 000.
The runner-up received R90 000 and the third-placed athlete would R55 000.
The next Spar Grand Prix race is in Cape Town on September 4, followed by the Durban race on September 11.
Tshwane’s race will be run on September 24, the Johannesburg race on October 3 and the season’s final race will be in Gqeberha on October 9.
– CAJ News