Kesa puts one hand on series grand prize
Molotsane now just needs top 10 place in last race
Only a catastrophe would deny Kesa Molotsane from claiming the 2017 Spar Women’s Challenge Grand Prix.
The KMPG runner yesterday preserved her lead on the Grand Prix leaderboard with a victory that meant the 25year-old needs just to make the top 10 in the final leg in Johannesburg in October, to shut out any slim chances of Irvette van Zyl defending her title.
Molotsane made a calculated move to race yesterday even though she had to seek special permission from Team SA to delay her trip to the World Student Games that officially opened in Taiwan on Saturday.
This way, she has enhanced her chances at the R173 000 main prize.
The Bloemfontein-based athlete has been quite consistent in her debut campaign of the lucrative competition and her win yesterday marked her third of the series with two other finishes inside the top three.
The series assumed a twohorse contest between Molotsane and Van Zyl when another strong contender, Louisa Leballo – winner of the opening race in April – was scratched from the competition following her eight-year ban for a failed drugs test.
This meant Molotsane, a runner-up in the Mother City, was elevated to the champion status and the points gained from the Durban, Port Elizabeth and Pretoria races also made the difference.
“The good thing is that I have been injury free after I had experienced a bit of problem with my knee. Everything just came together for me today [yesterday] and I am excited that I won the race. There won’t be any pressure for me going into the final race,” said the University of Free State sports administrator.
Molotsane, who won in 34 minutes 21 seconds, made yesterday’s race look so easy.
In a typical fashion, she chased from the back and broke away from Rutendo Nyahora (2nd, 34:34), Van Zyl (3rd, 34:37), Lebogang Phalula (4th, 34:50) and Nolene Conrad (eighth), the early pace-setters.
The route had challenging hills, but it was just a breeze for the champion-elect, Molotsane, who used yesterday’s race as her test run for the Student Games.
She will contest the 5 000m in Taipei, starting with the heats on Friday.
‘‘ The good thing is that I have been injury free since my knee problems