Tadu Nare is the top contender to defend her 10km Grand Prix title

The Grand Prix series, encompassing six races in Cape Town, Gqeberha, Durban, Pietermaritzburg, Mbombela, and Johannesburg, offers a grand prize of R200 000 to the overall points leader.

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Nare, alongside Irvette Van Zyl and Rene Kalmer, boasts a remarkable record of three series victories each.

Now, Nare is poised to pursue a historic fourth title, with the first race set to kick off at Green Point Stadium on March 24.

Although Kalmer has retired from active competition, leaving her out of contention for the top spot, Van Zyl has confirmed her participation and is considered a frontrunner among local favourites, including Glenrose Xaba, Cacisile Sosibo, and Cian Oldknow.

Bester shared with the national broadcaster, “I can confidently confirm that Tadu and Salem Gebre will be participating once again in the Women’s 10km challenge. As the representatives of the Ethiopian Running Club, with branches spanning across Africa, they are unquestionably the frontrunners for victory in the series. Their presence is assured in Cape Town for the first,”

Bester took a moment to address critics of the Dream Team, dismissing accusations of favouritism towards foreign runners as nonsense.

Instead, he encouraged local athletes to focus on their own efforts, work diligently, and strive to match the performance of their international counterparts, urging them to refrain from unnecessary complaints.

“Contrary to misconception, our focus lies on bolstering our local running talent over foreign competitors. We’ve solidified our commitment by granting three-year contracts to our top local runners, while foreign runners do not receive the same type of contracts.  Recent allegations hold no merit; in January, we reaffirmed our support by renewing contracts for our top athletes,”

“Restricting foreign runners from South African races would reciprocate, hindering our local talent’s opportunities abroad. The remedy lies in dedicated improvement. Every year, Ethiopian competitors will continue to vie for victory, but our resolve remains unwavering,” emphasized Bester, who won the Comrades Marathon title in 1991.

Last year, Nare had to skip the opening race in Cape Town due to a scheduling conflict with a marathon she was committed to.

Nevertheless, she more than compensated for her absence by clinching victory in four consecutive races thereafter. Now, with her flexible program, she’s geared up to join the competition at Green Point.