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.
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App
Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
42 minutes ago
- The Citizen
Big pay day! SA's Aldrich Potgieter wins first PGA Tour title
Another South African, Thriston Lawrence, is also smiling all the way to the bank. SA's Aldrich Potgieter poses with the trophy after winning the Rocket Classic 2025 at Detroit Golf Club on Sunday. Picture:South African golfer Aldrich Potgieter has become the country's youngest winner on the US PGA Tour after the 20-year-old captured the Rocket Classic at the Detroit Golf Club on Sunday. Potgieter won a thrilling three-man playoff, that lasted more than an hour, against Chris Kirk and Max Greyserman after all three men finished the 72 holes on a score of 22-under-par. It required five additional holes for the winner to be determined. It was Potgieter's first win on the tour after just 20 starts. The victory for the South African earned him $1,728,000 — in Rand terms R30,7 million. 'Tough day' Potgieter also finished tied sixth at the previous week's Charles Schwab Challenge. 'Finally got one to the hole and saw the ball roll end over end and just knew it was going to go in,' Potgieter told AFP after missing winning putts on two prior extra holes in the playoff. 'I'm just happy to walk away as a winner.' Atter spending much of the first three days atop the leaderboard Potgieter struggled in the early stages on Sunday and he made two bogeys in the first five holes. However, he battled back with birdies on three of the last six holes and made a five-foot par putt at 18 to make the playoff. 'It was definitely a tough day,' Potgieter said. 'The start didn't go my way. I struggled to make putts, left a lot short. 'Big thanks to my family and friends, coaches and everyone who has been involved to get me to this point,' Potgieter said, noting his family's sacrifice for his career. 'We had to give up a lot, moving to Australia, moving back. Emigrating is definitely not the easiest thing. Coming alone at the start of my career to the States and giving it a grind … having my dad here has helped so much.' Another South African golfer, Thriston Lawrence, also enjoyed a good few days at the Detroit club, finishing in a tie for eighth on 19-under-par and banking $261,600 — in Rand terms R4,65 million.
The South African
an hour ago
- The South African
Kaizer Chiefs target chooses a tasty move to Europe instead
Kaizer Chiefs have lined up several transfer targets, but Ime Okon has spurned their advances in favour of a sexy move to Germany. 21-year-old Okon is already a key pillar in SuperSport United's defence. Okeon recently scored for South Africa in a key Cosafa Cup clash against Zimbabwe. 'Chiefs will still finish ninth with their new signings' SuperSport United defender Ime Okon, still just 21, is one of the most coveted players in South Africa's Betway Premiership. His talents haven't gone unnoticed in Europe. Kaizer Chiefs pre-season tour schedule 08 July, 19:00 vs. Vitesse Arnhem 11 July, 16:00 vs. FC Utrecht (behind closed doors) 12 July, 14:00 vs. NEC Nijmegen 15 July, 19:00 vs. PEC Zwolle 16 July, 19:00 vs. FC Twente The behind-closed-doors (no fans in the stadium) clash with Utrecht was initially going to be the first match of the tour. However, Chiefs face Vitesse first on 08 July. What's also slightly underwhelming is that none of the traditional three giants, Ajax, Feyenoord or PSV Eindhoven, are on the itinerary. The last time that none of those sides won the Dutch Eredivisie was when Twente became champions in 2009-2010. Chiefs target Serbian-based flop striker Kaizer Chiefs head coach Nasreddine Nabi. Image: @KaizerChiefs/X Will Oken succeed in Europe? Let us know by leaving a comment below or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Also, subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
eNCA
an hour ago
- eNCA
Potgieter wins playoff on fifth hole for PGA Detroit title
WASHINGTON - South African Aldrich Potgieter sank a birdie putt from just inside 18 feet on the fifth playoff hole to win the Rocket Classic for his first US PGA Tour title. The 20-year-old grabbed the victory in just his 20th PGA start, beating American Max Greyserman in the hour-long playoff drama after American Chris Kirk had been eliminated on the second extra hole. The playoff had returned to the par-three 15th at Detroit golf Club for the second time in the playoff when Potgieter, who had missed winning putts on the two prior extra holes, sank the winning putt after Greyserman missed a 34-foot birdie putt. "Finally got one to the hole and saw the ball roll end over end and just knew it was going to go in," Potgieter said. "I'm just happy to walk away as a winner." Greyserman and Kirk each shot 67 and 54-hole leader Potgieter fired a 69 to finish deadlocked after 72 holes on 22-under 266. Potgieter made two bogeys in the first five holes but battled back with birdies on three of the last six holes and a clutch five-foot par putt at 18 to make the playoff. "It was definitely a tough day," Potgieter said. "The start didn't go my way. I struggled to make putts, left a lot short." All three birdied the first playoff hole, the par-four 18th, and at the first extra playing of the 15th, all three missed their birdie putts but Kirk missed his par effort from just inside four feet to drop out. "Just really disappointed right now," six-time PGA winner Kirk said. "I'm really happy with how I played. Just mis-read that last putt." Potgieter and Greyserman both parred the par-four 16th and birdied the par-five 14th to set up the close, which made Potgieter the youngest South African to win on the PGA Tour. "Big thanks to my family and friends, coaches and everyone who has been involved to get me to this point," Potgieter said, noting his family's sacrifice for his career. "We had to give up a lot, moving to Australia, moving back. Emigrating is definitely not the easiest thing. Coming alone at the start of my career to the States and giving it a grind -- having my dad here has helped so much."
