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DURBAN SPAR 10km Women's Challenge

DURBAN SPAR 10km Women's Challenge

Date: 2016-06-10
In one of the most decisive performances in the 27-year history of the race Olympian Irvette van Zyl (Nedbank Running Club) devastated the rest of the field to win today's Durban leg of the SPAR Women's 10km Challenge in an inaugural course record of 33 minutes 26 seconds in perfect running conditions.

Van Zyl (nee Van Blerk), the 2010 and 2011 winner, set an incredibly fast pace right from the start in Masabalala Yengwa Avenue outside the Growthpoint King's Park Stadium and had dropped off all her serious challengers including second-placed Cornelia Joubert (34:26) and third-placed Lebo-Diana Phalula (34:39), both of Boxer AC, by the 5km halfway mark.

Running at a steady pace of 3:20 per kilometre for the entire duration of the race Van Zyl proved too fast for her other challengers, Zimbabwean Rutendo Nyahora (34:48), Glenrose Xaba (34:50) and Christine Kalmer (35:05) who all crossed the line virtually together to fill fourth, fifth and sixth places this time around.

Despite her impressive performance, Van Zyl said she would have liked to have posted a faster time except that she was nursing a knee injury as a result of a fall during a training run a couple of weeks ago but had decided to run the race to give her knee a try-out in what has become known in roadrunning circles as "the country's most beautiful race" led out annually by the traditional vanguard of bikers from Steelwings Club on their shining Harley Davidson motorcycles.

"Winning races gives you confidence," she said. "But I also get confidence from my training."

"When I went to the Olympics in London I was quite overwhelmed by the occasion, but I believe this time I will be better prepared as I know what to expect," she said.

Joubert expressed mixed feelings about her performance saying: "I came fourth last year and second this year but my time today was slower than last year's and this a cause for concern."

Phalula, another destined to run the Olympic marathon along with Van Zyl and Christine Kalmer, was also unhappy with her time on the fast, flat course, which took in a few kilometres along the scenic Durban beachfront. "We will all have to be aiming for faster times on the road to Rio," she said.