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SPORT<br />
Eastern Cape Today 24 August - 30 August 2012<br />
CElEbRaTing 30 yEaRS On ThE ROad<br />
On Sunday, 9 September, the Mdantsane<br />
based Real Gijimas Athletic Club will celebrate<br />
their 30th anniversary when the club holds<br />
their annual 10km road race.<br />
The popular race which normally attracts<br />
most of the best men and women 10km runners<br />
in Buffalo City will start from the Sisa<br />
Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane at 7am. The<br />
event was first held in 2007 without sponsors.<br />
The race is the only organised event that takes<br />
runners through the streets of Mdantsane.<br />
The first 400 learners to enter School Challenge<br />
will get T shirts as will the first 300 runners<br />
to enter the main race.<br />
Alex Kambule who has been club chairman<br />
for nine years spoke about race arrangements.<br />
“We have 100 paid up club members at this<br />
point but the race has always been open to the<br />
public. Last year we had 300 male and female<br />
runners and we hope to have 400 runners enter<br />
this year.<br />
“For the first time we will also hold a 5km<br />
Schools Challenge which we hope will attract<br />
as many as 400 entries on its own.<br />
“There is a lot of work to do on race day.<br />
That’s why our members will serve the public<br />
on the day. Only new club members will enter<br />
the race.” Most members at Real Gijimas are<br />
seasoned road runners.<br />
This year Damesi Nqini finished seventh in<br />
the notorious Washie Ultra Marathon from<br />
Port Alfred to East London in just over 19<br />
hours.<br />
Nqini has run the Comrades Marathon four<br />
times in recent years and earned four Bill Rowan<br />
medals. He also has four Two Oceans Ultra<br />
Marathon medals. “Of course, I will tackle the<br />
n Real Gijimas Athletic Club shows the way<br />
RUNNING IS OUR GAME<br />
Real Gijimas Athletic Club organisers Wezile Sipeliti of race sponsors Amanz’ Abantu Services left, and club members Maureen Thisani, Alex Kambule<br />
(chairman) and Damesi Nqini are already hard at work in planning the club’s annual 10km run in Mdantsane. Picture by Derek Hindman<br />
Washie again next year,” Nqini said.<br />
Maureen Thisani, a member at Real Gijimas<br />
for 10 years, has run the Comrades Marathon<br />
twice and earned her finishers medals.<br />
Kambule has led by example as he has 12<br />
Comrades Marathon races behind him.<br />
Real Gijimas was started in 1982 as an<br />
Mdantsane running club.<br />
Popular road runners like Makaya Masumpa,<br />
Phillip Quvana, Efese Peter soon emerged<br />
but the club had to rebuild in the 1990’s as bigger<br />
clubs singed up Real Gijimas members.<br />
Border Athletics have given the Real Gijimas<br />
10km event league status and Rakoma&<br />
Associates, Printer Boys Solutions and Vuyo<br />
Zitumane together with other sponsors have<br />
15<br />
come on board for the event.<br />
Entry fees for the 10km event are set at R20<br />
for licensed runners and R30 for non licensed<br />
runners.<br />
Children pay R5 to enter. Race entry forms<br />
will be available at Total Sports and Sportsman<br />
Ware House outlets from Tuesday. Entries will<br />
be accepted at the start on race day.
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