CGA 10km & 21km Champs Entries close today - Top Runners can't wait!

The Central Gauteng Athletics half-marathon and 10km championships cannot come soon enough for prominent roadrunner Lebo Phalula and her fellow runner and husband Gladwin Mzazi. The 2016 Rio Olympian told the Top Runner that she could not wait for the first road-running event of the year which is set to take place at the Germiston Stadium on Sunday.

The aim of the Championships is to give elite athletes the chance to compete and so prepare for the National 21km Championships scheduled for 1 May, and the SA 10km Champs in July. CGA will also use the competition to select the team that will represent the province at nationals.

Lebo Phalula with her sister Lebogang after finishing first and second at the second in the 5000m at the second CGA Track & Field League Meeting in March 2021. Lebo is now looking forward to running her first official road race of the year. Photo Credit: MWMEDIA.

“My husband and I have already entered the half-marathon. Although we jog daily, it is different to running in a real event. I am not a virtual race fan and want the real thing. We finally have something to prepare for and we cannot wait to hit the road at the weekend," said Phalula. Mzazi concurs. “I have been waiting for this race for a long time. I will use it to prepare for the national championships," said the man who will be participating in the half marathon.

In order to satisfy Covid-19 protocols and ensure the safety of both athletes and officials on duty on the day, the two distances will be run at different times, limiting the entire field to 500 runners. The starter's gun for the men's half-marathon will go off at 6.30am followed, by the women's race 15 minutes later. The men and women's 10km races will start at 8am and 8.15am respectively.

Gladwin Mzazi after winning the men's 5000m at the second CGA Track & Field Meet of the year in March 2021. The former SA Champ will take part in the 21km at the CGA Championships on Sunday. Photo Credit: MWMEDIA.

CGA President James Moloi is urging runners to submit their entries at the CGA offices at the Germiston Stadium by the end of the day today (Tuesday 6 April). “To avoid any disappointment we urge the runners to submit their entries at our offices on Tuesday. We will not accept entries on race day. We will have 250 runners in the half-marathon and the same number in the 10km, so the sooner you get your hands on those entries the better. This promises to be an exciting championship," Moloi told #TheTopRunner.By the end of the long Easter Weekend, the regional athletics federation had received almost 400 entries.

As part of motivating elite runners, Provincial medals, and prize money will be awarded to the top three finishers (Gold, Silver, and Bronze). Only CGA-registered athletes will qualify for medals and prize money. The first man and woman to cross the finish line in the half-marathon races will take home R3000, with R1500 reserved for the runner-up and the third-place runners taking R500. In the 10km category, the first man and woman home will pocket R2000 with second placed runners taking R1000 and third-place finishers settling for R500.

CGA President James Moloi is urging all Top Runners to enter the race before entries close. Photo Credit: CGA.

“We know that these are difficult times and the money is not enough, but it is our way of thanking the runners and encouraging them to keep ongoing. We understand the issues of transport and other logistics, but we are offering them the chance to run the first road race in a long time," said Moloi.

Click HERE to view the qualifying times and enter the race.