Fortress Running Series Thohoyandou Run back with a bang as local talent shines at Venda Plaza
- Mosibodi Whitehead
- 9 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Taking place for the first 3me since 2024, the much-anticipated Fortress Running Series Thohoyandou Run returned to the Venda Plaza this morning (Saturday 6 June 2026) where 433 participants took to the streets to embrace a healthy lifestyle, while new talent was unearthed in one of South Africa's most rural provinces.
As youth and junior athletes raced enthusiastically in a well-attended 5km event which was dominated by local school children and scores of senior citizens, Limpopo's wealth of athletic talent stole the 10km show. Running in the yellow vest of the Thohoyandou-based World Best Sports Academy, Tuwani Molaudzi dismantled the field with a gun to tape victory.
"I actually came to Thohoyandou to work, but because I love running, I have been running here while working," explains Molaudzi. "The race went quite well. I tried to push. There were a few hills but not too bad. I'm very happy with my performance because it shows that there is life in running. I hope this inspires others to take up the sport and join clubs because you can run to win but you can also run for joy."
Earning R1,000 for his victory, the 23-year-old crossed the finish line in 32:03, which was more than two minutes clear of runner-up Lucky Maahlo (34:46) to underscore the depth in talent that lies unpolished across many of the country’s rural areas.
"South Africa has an abundance of talent. It is up to us, former runners, to introduce the sport to the next generation," says Comrades Marathon gold medalist and Fortress Running Series Founder Israel Morake.
"Because most of the major events take place in the big cities, there is a lack of well-managed sponsored athletics and rural development events. The Fortress Running Series bridges this gap. These races give exposure to athletes from rural areas," says the 1992 Two Oceans champion who started his running career in Sterkspruit.
The seasoned Rosaline Isiaih of Kenya won the women's 10km in 37:03, while two local runners in Phatuwani Moshiana (1:10:29) and Sedzani Maluta of the Venda Athletics Club (1:24:25) won the men's and women's half marathon titles respectively to pocket R3,000 each.
Coupled with the kids' coaching clinic which was conducted by Olympic 800m silver medalist Hezekiel Sepeng at the Ngwenani Primary School in Thohoyandou on 25 May 2026, Race Director Dora Mngwevu hailed the first stop of the Fortress Running Series which was hosted by the Thohoyandou Athletics Club as a success.
"The race was beautiful. It has grown – the number of runners increased by more than 10%. The support is good! We had over eighty grannies supporting the event. We had students from the University of Venda's Faculty of Health here to take care of the runners with massages, injury prevention and recovery treatment. So we are happy. We’ll be back again next year, same time, same place."
Vuso Majija, Executive Director of Fortress Retail, echoes Mngwevu's sentiments explaining that sponsoring the Fortress Running Series is just one of many ways in which Fortress Real Estate In- vestments continues to give back to its customers.
"These races embody our commitment to supporting the communities surrounding the areas where we operate our shopping centres. We put our customers first by providing a safe shopping and life- style space. Our centres play an important role in our customers' lives: we offer convenience, value for money and improve their quality of life by bringing modern services closer to them."
The next event of four this year is the inaugural Fortress Running Series AbaQulusi Plaza, which takes place in the KwaZulu-Natal town of Vryheid on Saturday 25 July 2026. Runners can register on the Peak Timing website to enter this race.
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