Ethiopian Nare won the overall title in 2021 and Johannes won in 2019.Both scored maximum points in their title chase, winning every race.  Johannes, who is from Namibia, did not run in the compressed 2021 series because of international commitments and injury.  She won the opening race in Gqeberha, with Nare taking second position.

The two are now neck and neck on the leaderboard, with 59 points each.  These include 10 bonus points each in each race for finishing in less than 33.15. Nare won the Durban race in 31.50 seconds, with Johannes finishing in 31.59. Selam Gebre, also from Ethiopia, was third in 32.17.  She has 56, with 10 bonus points in each race.

The first South African home in Durban, three-times Grand Prix winner Irvette van Zyl (Nedbank) has moved up into fourth place on the leaderboard, with 51 points. She is just ahead of Kesa Molotsane (Murray & Roberts), who has 48. Van Zyl was fourth in Durban and seventh in Gqeberha.  Molotsane, who won the title in 2018, is in fifth spot, with 48 points.  She was fifth in Durban and eighth in Gqeberha. Van Zyl and Molotsane both earned 10 bonus points for finishing under 33.15 minutes, with times of 33.03 and 33.15 respectively.

Seven runners earned five bonus points for finishing inside 34 minutes.

There is good reason to fight for victory in the SPAR Grand Prix – the winner after the six races will receive the handsome sum of R190 000.

Johannes has said she intends to run the next race in Mbombela on July 16, but she will miss the race in Tshwane on August 6, because she will be defending her marathon title at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Nare, on the other hand, has let it be known that she intends to run in all six races.  

“I would like to win the title again, but I know it will be difficult, because I have to miss a race,’ said Johannes.

“But I will also be happy for Tadu if she wins it.”

Johannes also heads the leaderboard in the over-40 category, where she has the maximum 20 points, after winning both races within the target time of 38 minutes. 

Gebre is at the top of the junior leaderboard, with 10 points – five for winning and five for finishing inside 39 minutes. Karabo Motsoeneng (Prestige College) is in second position with nine points.

Although Nedbank had a clean sweep on the podium on Sunday, Murray&Roberts leads the battle for club bragging rights, with 294 points from 18 scorers. Nedbank is in second spot, with 274 points from 11 scorers.  Boxer is lying third with 119 points from five scorers.

The third race in the series is the inaugural Mbombela race on Saturday July 26, with the Tshwane race on Saturday, August 6.