Modern Athlete Magazine 172 September 2024 | Page 32

ROAD RUNNING
Durban boasted a record field of around 7500 entrants

Celebration of Womanhood

The three races of the 2024 Totalsports Women ’ s Race took place on three consecutive weekends in August , bringing an incredible celebration of racing , running , fitness , health and womanhood to the streets of Durban , Cape Town and Johannesburg . And while the elites delivered fast times and exciting racing , some 30,000 women ( and a few men ) donned pink to enjoy their run and the fun vibe . – BY JACKY McCLEAN with SEAN FALCONER

Njoki Doubles in Durban

Totalsports Women ’ s Race Durban • Sunday 4 August 2024

The streets of Durban buzzed with excitement as a record field of some 7500 athletes gathered at the Suncoast Casino to participate in one of Durban ’ s most iconic Women ’ s Month celebrations , and right from the start , it was a one-woman show for Kenya ’ s Christine Njoki . Making her Totalsports Women ’ s Race debut , this was only Njoki ’ s second appearance in Durban . Just under a month earlier , she set a new SA All-comers Record when she won the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K in 30:37 . Although that record eluded her this time , she still finished this Women ’ s Race in an impressive 31:00 , tied ninth-fastest women ’ s time ever run in SA .

“ My target was to run under 31 minutes , but we had
Christine Njoki was uncatchable in Durban some wind on the course , which made it tough . I ’ m still happy with my performance , as today ’ s result isn ’ t far from my personal best ,” said Njoki . “ This was my second time running in Durban and I enjoy running here , because everything is good . I am also grateful to have run with so many women , and to be able to encourage each other . I want to thank the event organisers and Durban for hosting me .”
Ethiopia ’ s Selam Gebre came in second in 32:01 , with Lesotho ’ s Neheng Khatala rounding off the podium in 32:03 , a mere 2 seconds shy of the Lesotho National Record . Cacisile Sosibo was the first South African to cross the finish line , securing 6th place with a time of 33:27 . Tayla Kavanagh followed in 7th place , and Jenet Mbhele finished in 8th . This was the same order
Start of the Totalsports Women ’ s Race Durban for the three South Africans when they claimed the podium positions in the 2023 edition of this race .

Durban Top 10

1 Christine Njoki ( Kenya )
31:00
2 Selam Fente Gebre ( Nedbank / Ethiopia )
32:01
3 Neheng Khatala ( Hollywood / Lesotho )
32:03
4 Diniya Kedir Abaraya ( Nedbank / Ethiopia )
32:46
5 Marion Chepkoech ( Kenya )
33:07
6 Cacisile Sosibo ( Boxer )
33:27
7 Tayla Kavanagh ( Hollywood )
34:07
8 Jenet Mbhele ( Xcel )
34:45
9 Debash Desta ( Ethiopia )
35:20
10 Ntsoaki Molahloe ( Phantane )
35:52
Christine Njoki takes the win in Durban
Images : Anthony Grote , Anton Opperman , David Sullivan , Tim Hay , Mark Sampson , Tobias Ginsberg
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