Challenor Beats Best for Totalsports 10km Title

Boxer athlete Jenna Challenor of Durban North was the lady to beat on the day completing the Totalsports Ladies Race 10km route in an impressive time of 34 minutes 59 seconds, finishing ahead of Poppy Mlambo (Boxer) in second, and Thabisa Sirayi (Lions) completing the winners’ podium at the Berea Rovers Sports Club in Durban, on Sunday, 21 July 2013.

According to Challenor, the race featured the best run-route that Durban has had to date. “Although this was the first time that I’ve taken part in the Totalsports Ladies Race, I’ve run a lot of 10km and 15km routes in Durban.

“Today’s route was definitely the best. I would have loved to have taken part in the Totalsports Lades Race in 2012, but I was pregnant at the time. Today my plan was just to go out and run.

“I definitely didn’t expect to win. The competition was fair with a lot of foreign runners taking part. The conditions were perfect and the race was fantastic. “I’ll definitely be back next year,” says Challenor.

Further down the field there were a number of impressive performances with 71-year old Gill Tregenna finishing in position 124 in 55 minutes and 7 seconds, leaving many youngsters in her wake.

Previous Comrades gold medallist, Grace de Oliveira won the 50-59 age group in 42 minutes 32 seconds, while eighth-placed Shani Silver – also of the Boxer Club, was the fastest in the 40-49 age group, finishing in 39 minutes 40 seconds.

Second-placed junior Caylee Ellero was ninth overall, and the last runner to break the 40 minute barrier, while Lee-Anne Blake took gold in the 5km Totalsports Ladies Race.

Although held in celebration of the upcoming National Women’s Day, the Totalsports Ladies Race encouraged husbands, friends and family to join in on the fun and show support on route.

The Totalsports Ladies Race Durban supports the Jes Foord Foundation, an inspiring organisation that offers free counselling and support for rape victims. For each entry received, Totalsports donated R2 to The Jes Foord Foundation. For more information on The Jes Foord Foundation or to offer support visit www.jff.org.za

The Totalsports Ladies Race heads to Johannesburg and Stellenbosch on Friday, 09 August 2013. Although fax and in-store entries have already closed, online entries will only close on Sunday, 28 July 2013.

A BIG thank you to ALL runners & walkers that took part in the @TotalsportsSA Ladies Race in Durban on Sunday, 21… http://t.co/rmnXNwICKe

— Womens Race (@WomensRace) July 22, 2013

For more information on the Totalsports Ladies Race Durban contact 086 005 1021 or visit www.totalsports.co.za, Follow the series on Twitter: @tsladiesrace, and Like their FaceBook page @Totalsports.

(With editing by gsport)