Phalula set to run away with Grand Prix title

LEBOGANG PHALULA seems certain to win the 2015 Spar Grand Prix. The 31-year-old is top of the Grand Prix standings and all she has to do is finish in the top 20 in the last leg of the Spar Women’s 10km Challenge to pocket the R150 000 first prize.

The race will be held in Wanderers Stadium, Illovo on 11 October.

“I don’t have many expectations. Whatever happens at the Wanderers Stadium on the day of the race happens. But I’m looking forward to winning the race like last year. I won’t say I want to break the record or have a bonus time, I just want to win the race,” Phalula said yesterday at the launch of the ‘Beautiful Race’ – as the Joburg leg is also known.

The Boxer Athletics Club athlete said the only threat will be from Cornelia Joubert – who finished sixth at the Pretoria race two weeks ago.

“I’m 14 points ahead of Joubert. If she runs a bonus time I have to finish in the top 10 to stay four points ahead of her. She’s the only threat in this race,” she said.

Phalula welcomed the prize change from car to cash.

“I’m very happy that we no longer win a car but cash. I have a car and I don’t want another one. So they made a good decision to give us cash instead of a car.”

Phalula was not the only one looking forward to the race. The 2013 Grand Prix champion Mapaseka Makhanya was also hopeful that she’ll do well in the race.

“I haven’t won the Joburg in the past two years because I was coming from the Soweto half-marathon and I was a little tired, so this year I’m going with fresh legs and I’m hoping to run a better race and a good time,” she said.

“I don’t like going to race with any pressure, but since I’m in the top three and the points margin is so small, the only pressure is running fast and winning. Winning will be a bonus, but my aim to go there and run the best race I ever ran in the Joburg leg,” said the winner of the Cape Town leg.

She’s been training hard for the past three weeks and finished ninth in the Pretoria leg which was held two weeks ago in 37 minutes and 48 seconds.