Run/Walk For Life Grahamstown held its annual awards function recently, where its members were awarded for various achievements. The club is made up of the Athletics Club as well as the Fitness and Weight Loss Programme.
Run/Walk For Life Grahamstown held its annual awards function recently, where its members were awarded for various achievements. The club is made up of the Athletics Club as well as the Fitness and Weight Loss Programme.
In the athletics side of the club, Mzwanele Maphekula was named the Male Runner of the Year, while the Female Runner of the Year award was shared between Jene Banfield and Terri-Lynn Penney. Since joining the club in February this year, Maphekula made it into the top ten on seven occasions in races in the Eastern Cape, including two wins. His times included 31:00:21 for 10km, 48:00 for 15km, 1:14:17 for 21km, 1:29:25 for 27km, 2:20:16 for 42km, 2:55:55 for 50km and 3:16:17 for the Two Oceans Marathon (56km).
Penney also made the top ten on seven occasions including two wins, while Banfield made the top ten on six occasions, with two wins.
Run/Walk For Life, together with Eastern Province Athletics and Lotto, sponsored ten underprivileged club members a running kit and a pair of New Balance running shoes each. The club also helped five members to take part in the Two Oceans Marathon, by applying for them to be involved in the Two Oceans Runners Village.
The club also bid farewell to running legend, Frith van der Merwe, who leaves for Johannesburg. Van der Merwe was part of the club for a number of years, where she won many races and flew the flag high for Run/Walk For Life.
All the awards made on the evening were:
Special Awards:
Eastern Cape Selection –
Terri-Lynn Penney (EP marathon/half marathon, duathlon and triathlon), Julie Walker (EP Duathlon), Jene Banfield (EP marathon), Frith van der Merwe (EP marathon and half marathon), John van Onselen (EP duathlon and triathlon), Carriot Galela (EP half marathon), Mzwanele Maphekula (EP marathon), Stephen Penney (EP duathlon).
South African selection –
Julie Walker (SA duathlon), Terri-Lynn Penney (SA duathlon and triathlon), Stephen Penney (SA duathlon).
- Fastest half marathon, men: Mzwanele Maphekula 1:14:17
- Fastest half marathon, female: Frith van der Merwe 1:30:54
- Fastest marathon, men: Mzwanele Maphekula 2:20:16
- Fastest marathon, female: Terri-Lynn Penney 3:19:11
- Fastest combined Two Oceans and Comrades times: 13:14:46 Jene Banfield
- Most official races for the Year: Carriot Galela (12)
- Furthest distance covered in races: Jene Banfield (438km)
- Female Veteran Runner of the Year: Jene Banfield (including first at Mountain Drive half-marathon and Kowie Striders 27km and four category wins)
- Male Veteran Runner of the Year: Carriot Galela (including four top three positions in categories)
- Master Runner of the Year: John van Onselen
- Most Improved Athlete of the Year: Lionel Blaauw
- Performance of the Year, Male: Mzwanele Maphekula – 17th overall at Two Oceans in 3:16:17
- Performance of the Year, Female: Frith van der Merwe – first woman and ninth overall at the Bruintjieshoogte 25km in 1:49:34
- Male Runner of the Year: Mzwanele Maphekula
- Female Runner of the Year: Jene Banfield and Terri-Lynn Penney.
Applications for membership to join Run/Walk For Life Athletics Club in 2012 are now open. Join now and receive a R100 discount on a pair of New Balance running shoes. For more information contact Terri-Lynn on 083 504 7940.
