Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 125, December 2019 | Page 9

ADVERTORIAL
Incredible First Year Capped
with First Annual Awards
The Murray & Roberts Running Club recently celebrated its first year of existence and many superb performances
with its inaugural annual awards function in Johannesburg, with top road, cross country and track performers, Kesa
Molotsane and Philani Buthelezi, taking home the female and male 2019 athlete of the year awards respectively.
M
ore than 25 awards were handed out, ranging
from the juniors through seniors to all the
other age groupers, while the Vorentoe
Running Academy also scooped a bagful of awards.
As the club is Proudly South African-focused, the
awards featured South African-inspired trophies –
vuvuzelas and makarapas – as well as SPAR vouchers
and 32Gi and Suunto products.
Club chairman Ed Jardim said, “The level of
performances we witnessed in 2019 exceeded our
wildest expectations. More than 250 podiums, we’ve
passed a hundred victories and clinched gold medals
in all of the major races in South Africa, such as
Comrades, Two Oceans, Om die Dam and Loskop.
It was a truly remarkable year. If this year was any
indication of things to come, then 2020 will be a most
incredible year for the club.”
Club manager Dana Coetzee added, “We hope to add
one or two more athletes to our elite team in 2020,
which will give us even more sharp-end-of-the-field
representation and improve our ability to feature in the
gold medals, individual and team prizes in the major
races. I for one can hardly wait.”
All the Winners at the 2019 Annual Awards
• Female Trail Athlete of the Year – Leilani Scheffer
• Male Trail Athlete of the Year – Siviwe Nkombi
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Junior Female Cross Country Athlete of the Year – Tayla Kavanagh
Junior Male Cross Country Athlete of the Year – Johannes Morepe
Senior Female Cross Country Athlete of the Year – Kesa Molotsane
Senior Male Cross Country Athlete of the Year – Kabelo Melamu
Junior Female Track Athlete of the Year – Naledi Makgatha
Junior Male Track Athlete of the Year – Frans Matlala
Senior Female Track Athlete of the Year – Kesa Molotsane
Senior Male Track Athlete of the Year – Philani Buthelezi

• Grand Master Female Marathon/Ultra Marathon Athlete of the Year – Val Watson
• Master Female Marathon/Ultra Marathon Athlete of the Year – Karen Brough
• Veteran Female Marathon/Ultra Marathon Athlete of the Year – Charne Bosman
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• Veteran Male Marathon/Ultra Athlete of the Year – Thulane Magagula
Female Ultra Marathon Athlete of the Year – Jenna Challenor
Male Ultra Marathon Athlete of the Year – Thulane Magagula
Female Marathon Athlete of the Year – Nolene Conrad
Male Marathon Athlete of the Year – Philani Buthelezi
Master Female 10km Athlete of the Year – Judy Bird
Junior Female 10km Athlete of the Year – Casey Bosman
Junior Male 10km Athlete of the Year – Tumi Lephoto
Senior Female 10/21km Athlete of the Year – Kesa Molotsane
Senior Male 10/21km Athlete of the Year – Philani Buthelezi
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• Junior Female Athlete of the Year – Casey Bosman
Junior Male Athlete of the Year – Nico Seopesengwe
Senior Female Athlete of the Year – Kesa Molotsane
Senior Male Athlete of the Year – Philani Buthelezi
Thulane Magagula
Male Ultra Marathon Athlete of the Year Kabelo Melamu
Senior Male Cross Country Athlete of the Year Siviwe Nkombi
Male Trail Athlete of the Year
Kesa Molotsane
Senior Female Athlete of the Year Charne Bosman
Vet Female Marathon/Ultra Marathon Athlete of the Year Nico Seopesengwe
Junior Male Athlete of the Year
Casey Bosman
Junior Female Athlete of the Year Nolene Conrad
Female Marathon Athlete of the Year Philani Buthelezi
Senior Male Athlete of the Year
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