The organisers of the Tshwane SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge at Supersport Park Cricket Stadium on Saturday are delighted by Semenya’s decision to take part in the race.
Log leader Glenrose Xaba (of Boxer) will be looking to improve her position when she takes part in the Tshwane SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge at Supersport Park Cricket Stadium on Saturday, August 3.
Xaba will be boosted in her efforts by her coach, Caster Semenya, taking part in the race for the first time. Semenya, winner of two gold medals in the 800m at the Olympic Games, has long been a supporter of these races.
In June, Xaba was narrowly beaten by Ethiopian and Nedbank runner Tadu Nare in the Durban leg of the series. She finished 0.43 seconds behind the three-times Grand Prix winner. And she will be hoping to go one better against Nare on Saturday.
Delighted at Semenya’s participation
Xaba and the organisers expressed their delight by Semenya’s decision to take part in the Tshwane race.
“We are absolutely thrilled to have Caster join us as a participant this year,” said Retha Ingenbleek, SPAR Women’s Challenge Tshwane Race Organiser.
“Her presence will undoubtedly inspire countless women and girls to lace up their running shoes and take on the challenge. She is a true champion and a role model for all.”
Semenya expressed her excitement about participating in the race.
“I’ve always admired this challenge for its dedication to empowering women through sport. This is a special moment for me, and I can’t wait to experience the race as a participant. I hope to inspire others to believe in themselves and achieve their goals,” said Semenya.
Other athletes missing, in Paris for Olympic games
Some of the top runners, like Irvette van Zyl, Gerda Steyn and Cian Oldknow, will be missing from the race. They are representing South Africa at the Olympic Games in Paris. However, there are still plenty of elite athletes to ensure a highly competitive race.
The Phalula twins, Diana-Lebo and Lebogang, (Boxer) both former winners, Ethiopian Diniya Abaraya (Nedbank), who is currently second on the log, Cacisile Sosibo (Boxer) who is in third position, will be going all out to ensure that Xaba and Nare do not have things all their own way.
Long-time rivals, Boxer teammates and friends, Ronel Thomas and Janene Carey will be making history. They will complete 100 SPAR Women’s Challenge races. The two always finish within seconds of each other. So it is befitting that they should achieve this milestone together. The only other runners to have achieved this are the great Sonja Laxton and former Comrades Marathon gold medalist Grace de Oliveira.
Challenging terrains
The runners will follow an interesting route through Centurion, with some challenging hills. With the race starting early afternoon, the weather also could play a part in the race results. This as normal SPAR Grand Prix starting times are early morning when the weather is cooler.
Early afternoon, and with no rain of late, the air is dryer. The Tshwane 10km route is the most difficult route of all five races in the series. Mainly due to its challenging climbs with an elevation gain of 126m and a loss of 127m.
The organisers have confirmed a sellout, full house of 15,000 runners for the SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge. And a 5km Fun Run, which start at 2pm on Saturday.
