Kesa puts the chasing pack on notice

DEFENDING Grand Prix Series champion Kesa Molotsane will be a marked athlete as she chases a second consecutive Spar Women’s 10km Challenge series win at Pollok Beach, Port Elizabeth, tomorrow.

Molotsane, who dominated the series last year by winning three of the six races in Cape Town, Maritzburg and Port Elizabeth, won the opening leg of the series in Cape Town last month.

It was an ideal start to the series for the KPMG athlete as she crossed the finish line in 34 minutes and 10 seconds.

She will be looking to build on that form in Port Elizabeth tomorrow.

Molotsane also took top honours in the 5 000m and 10 000m at the recent South African Students Athletics Championships, in Sasolburg.

She said she relished returning to PE to defend her title against leading opposition.

Meanwhile, former Spar Grand Prix winners Mapaseka Makhanya and Rene Kalmer have both ruled out podium finishes tomorrow but are still looking forward to taking part in the second leg of the event.

Makhanya has been set back by a flu bug while Kalmer injured her hip doing the Two Oceans Half-Marathon. The field will be well advised to keep a watchful eye on KPMG teammate Nolene Conrad, who appears to be in the form of her life and is likely to pull off a surprise run.

Other runners to look out for are Glenrose Xaba, who was second in Cape Town, Christine Kalmer, who is back in form after being ill in 2017, and the Phalula twins, Diana-Lebo and Lebogang, who are both former Grand Prix winners.