The runners get underway in Tshwane , in the fourth leg of the 2022 SPAR Grand Prix

With five of the six races in the 2022 SPAR Grand Prix Series of women ’ s 10km races now run , the 2021 series champion , Tadu Nare , has cemented her position at the top of this year ’ s points log , and looks set to successfully defend her title .

Second in Joburg was 2019 Grand Prix champion , Namibia ’ s Helalia Johannes ( Nedbank ), in 34:07 , just ahead of Ethiopian junior , Salem Gebre ( Nedbank ),

who finished in 34:12 . The 2018 SPAR Grand Prix winner , Glenrose Xaba , was the first South African home , finishing fourth in 34:25 .

Nare has won four of the five races thus far in the 2022 series , putting her on 149 points . She was second to Johannes in the first race in Gqeberha , but then won the Durban , Mbombela , Tshwane and Johannesburg races . Gebre , who was third in Gqeberha , Durban , Mbombela and Johannesburg , and second in Tshwane , is on 141 points , and technically could still catch Nare , but this would require her to beat Nare by at least nine places in Cape Town . Given Nare ’ s form this year , that is highly unlikely . Nare has confirmed that she will definitely be running the final race in Cape Town later this month : “ All this hard work would be in vain if I didn ’ t run the final race ,” she says .

Johannes is third on the log , with 117 points , and has no chance of overtaking Nare or Gebre . The Namibian won the opening race in Gqeberha , but was second to Nare in Durban , Mbombela and Johannesburg , and missed the race in Tshwane because she was unable to get back from the Commonwealth Games in

Birmingham in time . The Two Ethiopians have been on the podium in every race in the series this year , with Johannes on the podium in four of the five .

First amongst the South African contenders is 2017 SPAR Grand Prix winner Kesa Molotsane ( Murray & Roberts ), who is fourth on the log with 105 points . Her consistent performances in all the races , finishing between fifth and eighth in the five races so far , with bonus points for outstanding times throughout the series , have proved the value of participating in all the races in the series . Another consistent performer is Cacisile Sosibo ( Boxer ), who is in fifth spot with 92 points .

Meanwhile , Xaba missed the first two races this year as she focused on the track while trying to qualify for the World Athletics Championships and the Commonwealth Games , but when she returned she finished fourth in Mbombela , Tshwane and Johannesburg and would undoubtedly be higher on the log if she had run all five races . She is in eighth place , on 81 points , two ahead of three-time SPAR Grand Prix winner Irvette van Zyl , who has missed two races this year because of injury .

Images : Reg Caldecott

Ethiopians Tadu Nare and Selam Gebre top the log

Namibia ’ s Helalia Johannes dropped down the log after missing Tshwane

Kesa Molotsane is best-placed amongst the South Africans

The 2022 SPAR Grand Prix has delivered some terrific racing !