Diana-Lebo leads Spar Grand Prix for the first time
Locals sit in third, fourth and fifth on leaderboard.
There’s a new name at the top of the 2014 Spar Women’s 10km Challenge Grand Prix leaderboard.
Diana-Lebo Phalula (Maxed-Elite) has taken the first step towards claiming the keys to the Nissan Micra on offer to the winner of the Spar Grand Prix.
Diana-Lebo dominated the Cape Town race on Sunday 6 April and romped to victory in 33 minutes and three seconds. Her time was faster than last year’s winning time, so she claimed an extra 10 points, and tops the leaderboard with 30 points.
“I’m hoping to run in all five races,” said Diana-Lebo in a post-race press conference.
“I would love to win a car – that would certainly be very useful. I’m very motivated and I feel I am running well.”
The Grand Prix rewards the top runners competing in the five Challenge races, which are held around South Africa. The winner will receive a car, and the runner-up R30 000. There are also prizes on offer to the top runners in the various age categories. Only South Africans are eligible for Grand Prix points.
Second on the leaderboard, with 18 points, is Nolene Conrad (Boxer) who finished the race in third place, behind Ethiopian Nedbank runner Hunduma Gemeda. 2013 Grand Prix champion Mapaseka Makhanya (Boxer), came fifth and is in third position with 16 points.
Former Hoërskool Roodepoort pupil Modern Athlete’s René Kalmer, who has won the Spar Grand Prix three times, is in fifth position with 13 points, one point less than her sister Christine (Boxer) in the Cape Town race. The other multiple Grand Prix winner and former Hoërskool Florida pupil, Irvette van Zyl, did not compete in Cape Town because of an injury.
With four runners in the top 10, Boxer has taken the early lead in the club competition, with 68 points. Nedbank is in second place with 43, followed by Maxed Elite with 30.
