Namibian runner Helalia Johannes (Nedbank) produced the fastest-ever time by a woman in Port Elizabeth to cruise to victory in the SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge in a time of 31 minutes and 50 seconds on Saturday.
More than 7,000 runners took part in the 10km Challenge and 5km Fun Run near Pollok Beach.
Making her debut in the series, Johannes said she was delighted with her victory.
Breaking away at the 7km mark, the 38-year-old Johannes piled on the pressure in the final kilometres as she realised she was on course to better her personal best of 32:28.
“It is my personal best [PB] time and is a new Namibian national record, so I am very pleased,” Johannes said.
“The weather was perfect and I enjoyed the course.
“Around the 7km mark, I decided to make a break as I wanted to improve my PB.”
Running her first race outside her country, Ethiopian runner 17-year-old Tadu Teshome Nare (Nedbank), finished second in 32:38 minutes.
Kesa Molotsane’s dream of a hat-trick in the city was shattered in the sensational race.
Despite improving on her winning time of 2018 and setting a new personal best time of 33:09, the Murray & Roberts runner placed third.
Her winning time in 2018 would have seen her finish seventh in Saturday’s race.
Incredibly, the first seven runners all finished under 34 minutes with the first six all earning 10 SPAR Grand Prix bonus points for beating 2018’s winning time.
There were no Port Elizabeth runners in the top 20.
Speaking through an interpreter, second-placed Teshome said this was her first trip outside her home country and also her first 10km race on the road.
“I enjoyed the race and I have enjoyed being in Port Elizabeth,” Teshome said.
The track specialist with a best time of 4:16 for the 1,500m said she planned to concentrate on road running and hoped to graduate to the half-marathon and eventually the marathon.
SPAR Eastern Cape sponsorship and events manager Alan Stapleton applauded the high standard of running on display.
“What a race it was, and to have such an array of top-class talent was really good for Port Elizabeth,” he said.
“To have thousands of runners out here celebrating the beauty, the power and the joy of being a woman is fantastic.”
Nedbank team manager Nick Bester said he would continue to bring international runners to compete in the SPAR Grand Prix series, which is run over six races.
Margie Saunders (Nedbank) finished first in the 60-69 category with Christine Claasen (Achillies) and Liz Jenkerson (Muirite Striders) finishing second in the 50-59 and 70+ categories, respectively.
The second leg of the SPAR Grand Prix will be the SPAR Women’s Cape Town Challenge at the Green Point Stadium on Sunday May 26.
A top prize of R185,000 awaits the series winner.
Additional reporting-Full Stop Communications
Fastest-ever time by a woman in PE clocked at SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge
Image: Werner Hills
Namibian runner Helalia Johannes (Nedbank) produced the fastest-ever time by a woman in Port Elizabeth to cruise to victory in the SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge in a time of 31 minutes and 50 seconds on Saturday.
More than 7,000 runners took part in the 10km Challenge and 5km Fun Run near Pollok Beach.
Making her debut in the series, Johannes said she was delighted with her victory.
Breaking away at the 7km mark, the 38-year-old Johannes piled on the pressure in the final kilometres as she realised she was on course to better her personal best of 32:28.
“It is my personal best [PB] time and is a new Namibian national record, so I am very pleased,” Johannes said.
“The weather was perfect and I enjoyed the course.
“Around the 7km mark, I decided to make a break as I wanted to improve my PB.”
Running her first race outside her country, Ethiopian runner 17-year-old Tadu Teshome Nare (Nedbank), finished second in 32:38 minutes.
Kesa Molotsane’s dream of a hat-trick in the city was shattered in the sensational race.
Despite improving on her winning time of 2018 and setting a new personal best time of 33:09, the Murray & Roberts runner placed third.
Her winning time in 2018 would have seen her finish seventh in Saturday’s race.
Incredibly, the first seven runners all finished under 34 minutes with the first six all earning 10 SPAR Grand Prix bonus points for beating 2018’s winning time.
There were no Port Elizabeth runners in the top 20.
Speaking through an interpreter, second-placed Teshome said this was her first trip outside her home country and also her first 10km race on the road.
“I enjoyed the race and I have enjoyed being in Port Elizabeth,” Teshome said.
The track specialist with a best time of 4:16 for the 1,500m said she planned to concentrate on road running and hoped to graduate to the half-marathon and eventually the marathon.
SPAR Eastern Cape sponsorship and events manager Alan Stapleton applauded the high standard of running on display.
“What a race it was, and to have such an array of top-class talent was really good for Port Elizabeth,” he said.
“To have thousands of runners out here celebrating the beauty, the power and the joy of being a woman is fantastic.”
Nedbank team manager Nick Bester said he would continue to bring international runners to compete in the SPAR Grand Prix series, which is run over six races.
Margie Saunders (Nedbank) finished first in the 60-69 category with Christine Claasen (Achillies) and Liz Jenkerson (Muirite Striders) finishing second in the 50-59 and 70+ categories, respectively.
The second leg of the SPAR Grand Prix will be the SPAR Women’s Cape Town Challenge at the Green Point Stadium on Sunday May 26.
A top prize of R185,000 awaits the series winner.
Additional reporting-Full Stop Communications
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