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Sold out 35th birthday celebration for 12 000 women in Sunday's SPAR Women's Challenge Durban
The SPAR Women's 10km Challenge will celebrate a major milestone on Sunday in Durban as it marks the 35thanniversary of the first SPAR Women's race.
The SPAR Women's Challenge was first run in Durban in 1990 and later spread to other cities around the country, making the overall SPAR Challenge the world's biggest woman only street race.
Race organizers have confirmed that the 10km race and 5km fun run are sold out.
Many of South Africa's elite female athletes will be running on Sunday, 22 June hoping to gain points for the SPAR Grand Prix, which incorporates races in Cape Town, Durban, Tshwane, Gqeberha and Johannesburg.
Pretoria's own Glenrose Xaba (Boxer), who last year became the first South African to win the SPAR Grand Prix since international athletes were admitted in 2019, aims to become the third runner, after Rene Kalmer and Irvette van Zyl, to win the title three times.
Xaba won the Cape Town SPAR Women's race in March this year. Earlier this month, she ran a personal best in a 5000m track race in France, with a time of 15:10.42, so she is currently in good form and ready for Durban.
Hoping to challenge Xaba will be Ethiopian Selem Gebre (Nedbank), who finished second in Cape Town, and young Tuks runner Karabo Mailula, who came third. Gebre finished second overall in the SPAR Grand Prix last year.
Other top runners include Cacisile Sosibo (Boxer), who was the second best South African performer in last year's SPAR Grand Prix, and teammates the Phalula twins, Diana-Lebo and Lebogang, who are both former SPAR Grand Prix winners.
The 12 000 entrants will each stand a chance win a Hyundai Exter SUV from the lucky draw.
'We are proud to offer our stunning Exter as a prize for the SPAR Women's Challenge. We congratulate the SPAR Durban Challenge on 35 years of women empowerment through sport, while inspiring the next generation of champions,' said Hyundai South Africa CEO Stanley Anderson.
SPAR Group PR, Communications and Sponsorship Manager Mpudi Maubane confirmed that each of the SPAR races is linked to their ongoing commitment to ending Gender Based Violence (GBV) as well as SPAR's campaign to end period poverty by 2030, raising awareness and providing support to organisations working to combat these issues.
'This multi-faceted approach ensures that the races that form part of the Grand Prix series not only promote physical well-being but also contribute to a safer and more equitable society for women in South Africa,' Maubane explained.
The proceeds from the race will go to Sinethemba Women's Foundation based in Inanda, KwaZulu Natal. This small organisation assists vulnerable women in their neighbourhood by offering support on skills and business development, career guidance, aligns with SPAR's values – ending GBV and helping young girls and women with menstrual hygiene. The alignment with Sinethemba Women's Foundation work with SPAR's core values highlights the deliberate and great connection that we seek to foster with the communities we serve. Maubane added that by supporting organisations like Sinethemba, SPAR is investing in a future where women are safe, empowered and have the necessary resources they need to thrive.
The route for the race is the same as last year. The 10km route is flat, but race director Brad Glasspoole says it is anything but monotonous.
'There's a fine line between 'flat and fast' and 'monotonous',' says Glasspoole. 'This route has slight elevation loss and gain, which keep it interesting and is good for the athletes'
The race starts on Masabalala Yengwa Avenue and finishes on the outer fields of Hollywood Kings Park Stadium.
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