Marula Fitness Festival

By Andzani Hlongwane

On the 22nd of February 2020 the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture held the Limpopo Marula Festival Half Marathon that had the 5km, 10km and the 21 Km Marathon Routes which started at Bollanto Information Center in Phalaborwa.

It was a jovial exercise that saw a great turn out of roughly 700 South African Athletes that were young and old from all walks of life participating in the race.

The over winners of the race in the Open Female Categories were Vuyazi Gebe who held position number 1 ,Jennifer Sithole that held position number 2,Sinau Maiat held position number 3 and Denise Cloete held the last number 5. The MEC of the Department Sports, Arts and Culture Mrs Thandi Moraka handed medals to the winners and a Computer to a School who’s learners participated in the Marathon with a value of R10 000 that will be used by learners.

The overall Winner in the Female Open Race 10 KM Vuyozi Gebe from Pretoria who took first place said she used her mental fitness to finish the race.

“In these kinds of races you use your mentality fitness, experience also counts. I just started running thinking that the other athletes had gone ahead of me and so that motivated me to run even faster.”Gebe explained,

The part that she likes most about races is that there are people to encourage and support you as you run along the way, it keeps you going even though today they were lacking water refreshment points for us which cost me a lot in terms of my progress in the race adding that she was very dehydrated.

Athletes that participated in the race encourages the youth to participate in sport so that they are not involve in things that will make them lose their future.

Jennifer Sithole from Nwabaine Village in the Collins Chabane Municipality from the Gazette Athletic Club said who won the fourth place said the race was tough as it was for the first time take part in any race since the beginning of 2020.