Mapaseka leads comfortably, René not quitting just yet

Roodepoort athlete René Kalmer says she still has enough in the tank to claw her way back into contention for the Spar Grand Prix title.

With just two Spar Women’s 10km races to go, Mapaseka Makhanya appears to have one hand on the keys to a new Nissan Micra. With 67 points, Mapaseka currently tops the Grand Prix ladder and her nearest rival is Christine Kalmer, with 48. The car will be handed over to the runner with the most points in the Spar Grand Prix at the end of the five-race series.

However, Mapaseka will be aware that she still has some work to do to make absolutely sure that the car is hers to drive away.

Among those breathing down her neck are last year’s winner, René Kalmer and her sister Christine.

René was plagued by injury and illness earlier this year, and was not the dominant force she normally is.

She had to withdraw from the Port Elizabeth race because of a calf injury she sustained in the Boston Marathon.

But she claims to be back at her best and intends trying to wrestle the keys away from Mapaseka.

“My training is going well, and I’m feeling very good,” she said.

“I lost a bit of ground in the Grand Prix because I couldn’t run in Port Elizabeth, but I am aiming for a top three Grand Prix finish – and if things go well in Pretoria on Saturday and in Johannesburg in October, who knows what could happen.”

Asked about her younger sister’s chances, René said, “Christine is running very well at the moment.

“She gives me a good go at training, and she really could challenge for the top spot. Mapaseka is running very well, so she’s going to be hard to beat, but Christine has gained so much confidence and she’s a very different athlete this year from what she was a year ago. She really has a good chance of overturning Mapaseka’s Grand Prix lead on Saturday.”

Former Grand Prix winner Irvette van Zyl and Myrette Filmater are in joint third place with 40 points, and René and Nolene Conrad are in fifth place, with 34. They are followed closely by Jenna Challenor and Diana-Lebo Phalula, with 33 each.

So while Mapaseka can be reasonably confident of emerging as the ultimate Grand Prix winner, the battle for valuable Grand Prix points will ensure an exciting race at the Pretoria Spar Women’s Challenge at Supersport Park on Saturday afternoon. The Grand Prix runner-up receives R30 000 and the athlete with the third most points takes home R17 500.