On Sunday, 01 October 2023 the streets of the Mother City were immersed in a sea of pink as runners and walkers from all walks of life toed the line at the much-anticipated Totalsports Women\u2019s Race in support of PinkDrive and Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
\nWhat made the day even more special this year was that event organisers, Stillwater Sports, collaborated with the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, in conjunction with Western Province Athletics, to jointly host the Cape Town edition of the Totalsports Women\u2019s Race, which also included the renowned Big Walk, making it a massive, colorful celebration of unity and a great cause.
\nLisha Van Olselen (Stellenbosch) celebrated her Totalsports Women\u2019s Race Cape Town debut by claiming the top spot on the podium in the 10km race in a time of 37 minutes 51 seconds.
\n\u201cI\u2019m originally from Durban, so I\u2019ve done the Durban race quite a few times. I\u2019ve always just loved the atmosphere that the Totalsports races bring and I\u2019m always keen for a race with a lot of participants,\u201d says Van Olselen. \u201cMy goal was to run strong. I knew that it was a hilly course from what people told me. I focused on my stride up the hills, not to work too hard, but still be strong enough and then make up pace on the downhills. We were together at about the 4km to 5km mark. It was on the big hill that I decided to keep the pace. I happened to be in the front from then and just kept it strong.\u201d
\n\u201cIt felt amazing to run in the Mother City,\u201d continues Van Olselen. \u201cI loved the course. It\u2019s definitely challenging, but it plays more towards my strength because I love hills. It felt really special to cross the finish line in first place. I\u2019ll definitely be back next year.\u201d
\nMia Steyler came in second, while Betha Sitariko finished third. ” The Totalsports Women\u2019s Race in Cape Town exceeded our expectations in every way, with thousands of women and supporters coming together to make it a truly memorable day,\u201d says Nikki Crous, Head of Marketing at Totalsports. \u201cThe atmosphere was electric, and the spirit of unity and empowerment was evident. We are immensely proud to have been part of this celebration of women’s strength and determination. Thank you to everyone who participated and made this event such a resounding success.”
\nWestern Cape Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport Anroux Marais welcomed the staging of the event for various reasons.
\nMarais said: \u201cWellness for the people of our province is one of the key priorities of the Western Cape Provincial Government. An active and healthy lifestyle enhances wellness. This should be a focus for all of us, every day.
\nFurthermore, the economic stimulus derived from events such as this will greatly benefit our tourism and hospitality industries, which are major contributors to job creation and economic growth. Today\u2019s events provide us with a lovely opportunity to enjoy the scenic splendor of our beloved Cape Town, and to do so as a community united in its diversity,\u201d Marais concluded.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"