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Nare Has the Edge in SPAR Grand Prix
Halfway through the 2022 SPAR Grand Prix Series and defending champion Tadu Nare of Ethiopia has one hand on the title after winning the Mbombela SPAR Grand Prix Women ’ s 10km race on 16 July . She was second in the opening race in Gqeberha and won the second race in Durban , and now has 89 points , including bonus points for running excellent times in each of the three races so far .
Tadu Nare takes the win in the second SPAR Grand Prix race in Durban
Nare is one point ahead of her Nedbank teammate , Helalia Johannes of Namibia . The 2019 SPAR Grand Prix titleholder won the Gqeberha leg , but was second to Nare in Durban and Mbombela . Although only one point separates them at this stage , Johannes will miss the Tshwane SPAR Grand Prix race on 6 August because she will be defending her Commonwealth Games Marathon title in Birmingham . This means that Nare can take an unassailable lead after the Tshwane race .
Nare says she is happy to be in pole position at the halfway mark of the series , but will be taking nothing for granted . “ I will continue to give 100 percent in
Tadu Nare , Helalia Johannes and Selam Gebre have pushed each other hard in all three races
the last three races . I won ’ t let my guard down ,” she says . Meanwhile , another Ethiopian , Selam Gebre ( Nedbank ) is in third position , with 84 points , after finishing third in all three races . Johannes is also in the lead in the veteran ( 40-49 ) age category , while Gebre leads the junior ( Under-20 ) category .
2018 Grand Prix winner Kesa Molotsane ( Murray & Roberts ) is currently in fourth position on the 2022 standings , with 70 points . She was eighth in Gqeberha and fifth in both Durban and Mbombela , and earned 10 bonus points in each race . She has ousted three-time SPAR Grand Prix winner Irvette van Zyl ( Nedbank ), who missed the race in Mbombela due to an injury and thus dropped down the leaderboard to eighth position , with 51 points after finishing seventh in Gqeberha and fourth in Durban .
Tadu Nare , Helalia Johannes and Selam Gebre are dominating the 2022 Series
Glenrose Xaba ( Boxer ), who was the first South African home in Mbombela , is in equal 12 th place alongside Tayla Kavanagh ( Murray & Roberts ). Xaba came third in last year ’ s SPAR Grand Prix Series , but has run only one SPAR Grand Prix race this year due to focusing on trying to qualify for the 5000m or 10,000m on the track at the World Championships and the Commonwealth Games . Kavanagh , who was fourth in the opening race in Gqeberha , has also run just one race .
Murray & Roberts is in the lead in the club competition , with 415 points from 23 scorers . Nedbank is in second place , with 371 points from 11 scorers , followed by Boxer with 277 points from 11 scorers .
Kesa Molotsane , highest positioned South African on the SPAR Grand Prix standings
Irvette van Zyl on the way to fourth in Durban
Glenrose Xaba , first South African home in Mbombela
Tayla Kavanagh finished fourth in her only outing in Gqeberha
Saturday , 28 May Sunday , 26 June |
2022 SPAR GRAND PRIX CALENDAR
Gqeberha Durban
Saturday , 16 July Saturday , 6 August
Mbombela Tshwane
Sunday , 2 October Saturday , 23 October
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Johannesburg Cape Town |
Images : Reg Caldecott |
42 ISSUE 152 | www . modernathlete . co . za