Publications
Partners
Johannesburg - Irvette van Blerk continued her dominance of the Spar Women's 10km Challenge at Old Parktonians on Sunday with an emphatic victory in the Johannesburg race.
Van Blerk also won the Durban and Pretoria legs of the 10km series, after finishing second in Port Elizabeth and fourth in Cape Town.
Her victory in Johannesburg ensured that she won the Grand Prix, pocketing R60 000 in the process, for the second successive year.
Van Blerk won comfortably, finishing in 34 minutes, 22 seconds (34:22) - one second faster than her winning time in 2010.
Zimbabwean Rutendo Nyahora was second, almost a minute behind in 35:20, followed by Lebo-Diana Phalula in 35.38.
Running in a record field of 10 534, Van Blerk took the lead from the start, and stretched the gap as the race continued.
Team-mate Rene Kalmer - a two-time winner of the Grand Prix series - kept pace with her in the early stages, but later dropped out with a knee injury.
"I had a very good run, although it was a tough course," Van Blerk said.
"I decided to go hard. I knew that if I won the Grand Prix, but didn't win the race, it would be an anti-climax.
"So I decided to go all out, and then if I didn't win, I would know I had given it my best."
Van Blerk said she had not looked back during the race, although she expected Kalmer, Nyahora or Phalula to catch up with her at some stage.
"So I just kept going hard, and they didn't catch up," she smiled.
Nyahora and Phalula ran together for much of the race, but the Zimbabwean pulled away at the 7km mark.
"I really wanted to win this one, but I was determined to do as well as I could," Nyahora said.
"Although we had been running together, I decided I had to get away from Lebo."
Van Blerk said she was overjoyed to win her second Grand Prix title, but her focus had switched to the marathon.
"I want to qualify for the Olympic Games in London next year," she said.
"I think I'm the right age now, and I really enjoy half-marathons, so why shouldn't I enjoy two back-to back half-marathons."
She rejected suggestions that she should aim for the 10 000m track event at the Olympics.
"I'm a road runner," she said. "I don't like track - I find it very boring."
Results of the Johannesburg SPAR Women’s Challenge run at Old Parktonian on Sunday:
Open: 1. Irvette van Blerk, Nedbank CGA, 34.22; 2. Rutendo Nyahora, Nedbank GN, 35.20; 3. Lebo-Diana Phalula, Gauteng Striders, 35.38; 4. Mapaseka Makhanya, Mr. Price CG, 35.54; 5. Zintle Xiniwe, Nedbank WP, 36.35; 6. Onneile Dintwe, UCKG, 36.39; 7. Charne Bosman, Mr. Price CG, 37.20; 8. Christine Kalmer, Nedbank CGA, 37.41; 9. Cornelia Joubert, Randmark, 37.53; 10. Sylvia Tshetlanyane, Atlholang Primary, 37.54
Junior: 1. Sylvia Tshetlanyane, 37.54; 2. Happiness Mkhize, 37.59; 3. Letitia saayman, 39.26
Veterans: 1. Vanessa Bowman, 44.01; 2. Catherine Nana, 44.11; 3. Arselinah Nyathi, 46.02
Masters: 1. Grace Da Oliveira, 41.48; 2. Frances van Blerk, 46.06; 3. Sewele Maponya, 52.30
Grandmasters: 1. Sonja Laxton, 44.32; 2. Elaine Greenblatt, 52.58; 3. Elaine Jones 57.58
