Johanesburg, South Africa - The race for the SPAR Grand Prix title is going down to the wire – the winner will be determined by the outcome of the SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Sunday.
The top contenders for the title are Irvette van Zyl and last year’s winner, Lebogang Phalula. Van Zyl has had a long lay-off for injury and Phalula has been very active in recent weeks and may feel the effects in her legs.
Van Zyl has 70 points, after winning the first three races, in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban. Her record time in Durban earned her 10 valuable bonus points, which proved important when she had to withdraw from the Pretoria race because of a foot injury.
Phalula has 64 points, after finishing third, second, 11th and four in the first four races. She won the Johannesburg Challenge last year to cement her 2015 Grand Prix title.
Van Zyl said she started training again about three weeks ago.
“I’m not where I would like to be, but at least I am running pain free,” she said.
“I’m going to give it my all on Sunday. I really want to win the Grand Prix to make up for my disappointment in having to withdraw from the Olympic Marathon in Rio because of my foot injury.
“I need to finish in the top five and hope that Lebogang doesn’t get a bonus point. Then I think I am safe,” said Van Zyl, who won the Grand Prix title in 2010 and 2011.
Phalula ran her debut marathon in September, when she finished third in the Cape Town marathon, in a time of two hours 38 minutes. Last week, she won the Joburg 10km City Run. Her twin sister, Diana-Lebo, finished second, but collapsed on the finish line and had to be taken to the medical tent for treatment.
Diana-Lebo Phalula said they were both feeling fine and were ready for the contest on Sunday.
“I collapsed because I didn’t eat anything before the race. I am better now and I won’t make that mistake again,” she said.
“Lebogang and I are both ready to do well on Sunday.”
Diana-Lebo is in fourth position on the Grand Prix ladder, with 55 points – three behind third-placed Christine Kalmer, who got married two weeks ago. Kalmer said at the launch of the Johannesburg race that she would be taking her running shoes on honeymoon.
“I don’t want to give up that place,” she said.
Kalmer’s third-place ranking is testimony to the value of running as many Challenge races as possible. She finished fifth, eighth, sixth and seventh in the previous races, but her constant presence in the top 10 has proved invaluable.
Diana-Lebo was unavailable for the Cape Town race because she was doing national duty in China. She finished third, third and second in Port Elizabeth, Durban and Pretoria.
Rutendo Nyahora won the Pretoria Challenge last month and could play an important role in deciding who wins the Grand Prix title. However, as a Zimbabwean citizen, she does not qualify for Grand Prix points, as the Grand Prix is restricted to South African citizens.
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THE RACE IS ON FOR THE SPAR GRAND PRIX TITLE
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