The third leg of the Fortress Running Series took place at Sterkspruit Plaza in Sterkspruit on Sunday 8 October.
Senqu Local Municipality Mayor Councillor Velile Victor Stokhwe paired Fortress Retail for investing in the local community. Stokhwe was speaking after witnessing the successful Fortress Running Series race in Sterkspruit in which saw over 300 runners take part in 21km, 10km and a 5km fun run. The event which started on the famous road Telle Bridge road on the outskirts of Sterkspruit and finished at the Sterkspruit Plaza gave an opportunity to many locals to experience a professionally organised road running event for the first time.
Impressed with the turnout and quality of organisation which included post-race entertainment in the form of aerobics, music and face-painting and jumping castles for the kids, Stokhwe was moved by what an event like this means for the town of Sterkspruit and surrounding villages.
“We really appreciate this platform. It gives our young people an opportunity to showcase their talent. But beyond that it also helps us to reduce the crime statistics and substance abuse. Government alone is not going to be able to do all the things necessary for the development of the people hence we appreciate this investment made by Fortress to rural young people that never thought to run a race of this magnitude.”
In addition to the impact it makes on the local community, Stokhwe also thanked the Fortress Running Series for staging an event which drew participants from the Free state, Eastern Cape and Lesotho thereby stimulating the local economy of the rural town.
“Our municipality is based on tourism. Tourism is one of the pillars that we are using to grow the economy. That’s why we have been supporting and participating actively because it also reflects the history of this area because the race starts at the Telle Bridge which is the border between South Africa and Lesotho. It is historical because our liberation heroes used the bridge to cross into Lesotho to exile themselves. But now we want to turn that into an economic opportunity. We want this event to grow and attracted more sponsors and more participants.”
The race was dominated by Maxed Elite Running Club top runners from neighbouring Lesotho who swept the men’s and women’s 21km and 10km titles. Former Soweto Marathon and Two Oceans Marathon champion Lebenya Nkoka won the men’s half marathon in 1:07:13, while his compatriot Mathakane Letsie took the women’s race in 1:24:18. Kamohelo Mofolo also of Maxed Elite Running Club Lesotho was excellent value for his 29:20 to win the men’s 10km, while Moipone Paneng won the women’s 10km.
The Fortress Running Series celebrates South Africans’ passion for running. Since its inception in 2018, this event has been dedicated to bringing the thrill of running events to rural communities, providing a platform for local residents to participate and showcase their athletic talent.
Vuso Majija, Executive Director of Fortress Retail, said, “We’d like to thank everyone who participated in today’s race, and to those who came out to support them along the route. 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 lifestyle space.”
The final Fortress Running Series race of 2023 takes place at the Flamwood Walk in Klerksdorp on 19 November. Join us as we celebrate the joy of running and the remarkable talent within these vibrant communities.
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