South Africa’s top athletes are set to be involved in a race against time as they strive to cash in on the incentives offered, when Athletics SA teams up with the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, to present the South African Half Marathon Championships in Port Elizabeth on Saturday 24 July.
South Africa’s top athletes are set to be involved in a race against time as they strive to cash in on the incentives offered, when Athletics SA teams up with the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, to present the South African Half Marathon Championships in Port Elizabeth on Saturday 24 July.
The national marks held by Hendrick Ramaala (1 hour and 7 seconds set in Kosice, Slovakia on October 4, 1997) and Elana Meyer (1:06.44 clocked in Tokyo, Japan on January 15, 1999) each carry a R50 000 prize for the first athlete in the men’s and women’s competitions to rewrite the record books.
The flat one-lap course through the streets of Motherwell, in the Friendly City, is expected to be perfectly suited to fast performances. The day’s programme will consist of 21.1km wheelchair race (7am start), SA Half Marathon Championships (07h15 start), 5km fun run (7.30am start).
The prizegiving will take place at 10.30am. While the event is open to anyone, three locals: Frith van der Merwe, Terri-Lynn Penney (Run/Walk For life Athletics Club and Thembinkosi Mdyogolo (Nedbank), have been selected as part of the Eastern Province team.
Penney is in the senior women’s team, while van der Merwe and Mdyogolo are part of the veteran’s (40 to 49) team.
