Nare’s dominance of the race has seen her win in Durban, Mbombela, Tshwane and Johannesburg. She was runner-up in the opening race in Gqeberha behind Johannes and now has 149 points, eight more than second-placed Gabre.
With the final leg taking place in Cape Town on October 23, the only way Nare can be deposed as reigning champion is for her to miss the race or if Gabre beats her by nine places. Johannes is in an unassailable third spot with 177 points.
Sunday’s race started in dramatic fashion with Johannes becoming entangled with other athletes and suffering a bad fall that left her ankle badly bruised. But the veteran runner dusted herself off and still managed to finish second, overtaking Gabre in the last few metres.
Nare, on the other hand, ran the race just as she had done the rest — the Ethiopian dictating the pace for the lead bunch and then making a surge at the 9km mark. Incredibly, she said afterwards she was surprised by the victory.
“I did not think I would win because of the half marathon [Copenhagen] I ran last week. I did not rest enough. I thought Helalia would win.
“At 9km, when I sprinted away I thought she would come but she didn’t and I am very happy I won.”
She is sure to be much happier when she seals the series in Cape Town at the end of the month.
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Tadu Nare wins again in Johannesburg and poised to clinch Spar series
Image: Reg Caldecott
Tadu Nare sauntered to yet another victory in the Spar Women’s 10km Grand Prix Series on Sunday morning to put a firm grip on the overall title of the popular event with one race to go.
The champion last year where she won all six races, the Ethiopian once again smashed the field at the Johannesburg leg of the series with a consummate win at the Marks Park finish.
The Nedbank Running Club athlete controlled the pace from the gun and came through the halfway mark in about 17 minutes with the lead bunch before breaking away to win in 33:32.
Namibia’s Helalia Johannes finished runner-up in 34:07 ahead of Ethiopia’s Salem Gabre who crossed the line five seconds later.
Glenrose Xaba was once again the first South African home in fourth in 34:25. The Boxer Athletic Club runner occupied the same position in the only two other races she participated in, the Mbombela and Tshwane legs.
Nare’s dominance of the race has seen her win in Durban, Mbombela, Tshwane and Johannesburg. She was runner-up in the opening race in Gqeberha behind Johannes and now has 149 points, eight more than second-placed Gabre.
With the final leg taking place in Cape Town on October 23, the only way Nare can be deposed as reigning champion is for her to miss the race or if Gabre beats her by nine places. Johannes is in an unassailable third spot with 177 points.
Sunday’s race started in dramatic fashion with Johannes becoming entangled with other athletes and suffering a bad fall that left her ankle badly bruised. But the veteran runner dusted herself off and still managed to finish second, overtaking Gabre in the last few metres.
Nare, on the other hand, ran the race just as she had done the rest — the Ethiopian dictating the pace for the lead bunch and then making a surge at the 9km mark. Incredibly, she said afterwards she was surprised by the victory.
“I did not think I would win because of the half marathon [Copenhagen] I ran last week. I did not rest enough. I thought Helalia would win.
“At 9km, when I sprinted away I thought she would come but she didn’t and I am very happy I won.”
She is sure to be much happier when she seals the series in Cape Town at the end of the month.
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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