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Put on your running shoes and get training
for the Nedbank Soweto Marathon, which turns 18 this year.
IT is time for the Nedbank Soweto Marathon again,
and thousands of runners are expected to participate this year.
Popularly known as the people's race, the 18-year-old
race takes place on Sunday, 1 November at the MTN Expo Centre in Nasrec. The
race will start at 6am.
Showing the press this year's route (Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg)
Talking at a media briefing at the council
chambers in Braamfontein on 19 October, Executive Mayor Amos Masondo said: "The
City of Johannesburg
is indeed proud to be associated with this great sporting event.
"Not only are we showcasing the talent of
our country's top long distance runners, but we are also showing South Africa and the rest of the world a picture
and image of a changing, well-known human settlement, Soweto. [It is] now a vastly different place
from the stereotype of the past."
The City manager, Mavela Dlamini, said the
City was going all out to ensure the safety of the runners on the roads by
deploying a number of metro police officials along the routes. Members of the emergency
management services would also be on hand.
Taxi industry
To ensure that it is a world-class African event, the taxi industry says that
it too is willing to co-operate on the roads. "I promise that we will do our
best in our capacity to help in making the event a success," said Top Six's
national deputy secretary, Boy-boy Mogorosi.
The Nedbank Soweto Marathon is endorsed by
the City and is sponsored by Athletics South Africa (ASA), Nedbank, SABC and Proudly
South African.
ASA's general manger, Molatelo Malehopo,
urged roadrunners from Soweto
and other parts of the country to come out in their numbers. "We would like to
call on every athlete from every city in the country and abroad to come and
take part in this world-class event."
Malehopo also urged residents to come out
in their droves to support and cheer on the people's race.
His words were echoed by Andy Scott, Nedbank's
executive in charge of group sponsorships, who both thanked and congratulated
the City for a job well done in building Joburg into a world-class African city.
Scott said he was confident beyond a shadow
of a doubt that this year's marathon would be a world-class event.
Prize purse
The marathon has a total prize purse of R807 700, comprising various
categories:
- A 42,2km race, which starts at 6am for athletes of 20 years and
older;
- A 10km walk, cut from 20 kilometres, "which is believed to be a
fairer representation of South African walking", according to an ASA press
release, starting at 6.40am;
- A 10km race for able-bodied athletes, starting at 6.30am;
- A 10km wheelchair race starting at 6.20am; and
- A 5km fun run for participants of nine years and older,
starting at 8am.
The male and female winners of the 42,2km
race will walk away with R100 000 each, while first and second runners up in
both the male and female categories will each take home R80 000 and R60 000,
respectively.
Winners in all three 10km categories will
go home with R5 000 each.
Routes
The routes will pass through many of the City's legacy projects that have
started to take form as part of hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.
These include the refurbished Diepkloof hostels
and Rea Vaya buses and stations. They will also see the greening and
development of open spaces in Soweto.
On Vilakazi Street,
they will run passed the homes of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu - it is the
only street in the world where two Nobel Prize laureates are situated in the
same street.
Other places the runners will pass include
the Hector Pieterson
Museum, Oppenheimer
Tower, Kliptown and Walter Sisulu
Square of Dedication, Morris Issacson High School
and Chris Hani Baragwanath
Hospital.
Entrance for the 42,2km marathon is R85; it
is R46 for all the 10km categories; and R15 for the 5km fun run. Entrance is
free for athletes older than 60 years. T-shirts, medals and goody bags will be
handed out.
Enter the Nedbank Soweto Marathon online, or for
further information call 011 880 5800.
Participants must collect their race
numbers between 9am and 7pm from the following venues: Pilditich Stadium in Pretoria on 26 and 27
October; ASA Office, Houghton on 28 and 29 October; and the MTN Expo Centre on
30 and 31 October.
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