Nare eyes hat-trick, hopes to emulate Kalmer, Van Zyl at Grand Prix in Mbombela

Defending champion Tadu Nare of Ethiopia is on course to emulate South African long distance athletes René Kalmer and Irvette van Zyl when she attempts to secure a hat-trick of titles in the series of six Spar Grand Prix 10km races.

The first three legs of the Spar Grand Prix Series of 10km road races for women in Cape Town, Gqeberha and Durban, recorded lightening fast times.

With the next three contests in Mbombela on Saturday, Tshwane on Saturday, 5 August and Johannesburg on Sunday, 1 October 2023 - it'll be more tactical, with race strategies on the hilly terrain in Mbombela likely to play a key role.

And with arguably the strongest field of the series so far lining up, a race of the highest quality can therefore be expected in the fourth leg of the series starting at 07:00 at the Mbombela Stadium on Saturday.

For Kalmer, who won the Spar Grand Prix three times in 2007, 2009 and 2012, and finished in the top 10 for the first 10 years of the Grand Prix's existence - the hilly terrain in Mbombela will offer a completely new challenge.

"The Spar Grand Prix series has a special place in my heart," says Kalmer, who represented South Africa at the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008 and in London in 2012 in the 1 500m and the marathon respectively.

"It's always a special treat to embark on a journey to the coast for the Grand Prix series. The races in Cape Town, Gqeberha, and Durban boast fairly flat and speedy courses, promising the opportunity to achieve fast times, provided the weather is favourable.  

"However, the competition takes a different turn as you head inland for the Mbombela, Tshwane, and Joburg races. These events present a new set of challenges. Not only are they held at higher altitudes, where the air is thinner