Hundreds of excited East Londoners flocked to the beachfront in Quigney to take part in the SPAR Daily Dispatch Fun Run on Sunday morning.
More than 600 participants left the starting line just after 9am, with the first runner finishing just 13 minutes after running the 4km route.
After Friday and Saturday’s gloomy weather, the skies cleared up and the sun shone on Sunday, giving the athletes the perfect weather for their run.
Matching the clear skies and sparkling blue Orient Pools, amateur and experienced runners of all ages donned their branded blue T-shirts and other gear for the fun morning.
Sinothando Goniwe won the 4km race, finishing in 13 minutes and 47 seconds.
Close behind him were Alwaba Gqirhana in 14 minutes, 11 seconds and Bukhobakhe Khwapuna in 14 minutes, 30 seconds.
On the 8km route, Lilitha Xengxe finished first in 30 minutes, 44 seconds, with Sihle Genu close on his heels in 31 minutes, 46 seconds, while Imange Lali finished in 33 minutes, 50 seconds.
The race also saw physically challenged individuals come in their numbers to take part.
First in the male and female wheelchair races were Codi Smith and Ingred Mostert respectively.
This year’s fun run was in aid of The Association for the Rehabilitation of Persons with Disability, also known as REHAB. The NPO received R20,000.
REHAB board chair Reuben Puchert expressed gratitude on behalf of the organisation, saying the fun run not only put the spotlight on the needs of those with disabilities, but would hopefully see more people open their hearts to assist the NPO.
“In the current economic climate we are reliant on support from the community and every bit that we can get helps us to keep our doors open,” he said.
“Like any other NPO, we really struggle to continue with our services because the finances are becoming tighter, so this event is great for us because it’s an opportunity for us to make our services known and create awareness that we, as disabled people, would really like to be part of society.
“We don’t want to be marginalised and hidden away.”
He said the funds would go a long way in assisting the NPO to upgrade its computer literacy course for people with visual impairments, and refurbish the house the NPO offered as accommodation for people with disabilities who are in rehabilitation.
“Every cent is extremely valuable to us and highly appreciated.”
REHAB was registered as an NPO in 1997 after the East London Society for the Blind, Cripple Care and the East London Society for Mental Health combined their resources and services.
The NPO serves the greater Amathole area, including Buffalo City Metro, on needs related to physical disability, mental health and visual disability.
This year’s fun run was supported by main sponsor SPAR, hydration sponsor Twizza and Gussie’s Gifting and Stationery, which sponsored prizes for the top three runners in the 4km and 8km races.
SPAR’s Alan Stapleton said: “It was a lovely, fun event with a big turnout and the weather was good.
“It was lovely to see everyone, including the disabled folk, participate.
“The event ties in so nicely with the Wheelchair Wednesday initiative we recently did in Port Elizabeth [Gqeberha].
“It’s nice to be able to be able to assist those who are physically disabled with such initiatives.”
Twizza’s Stan Andrews said: “Twizza is happy to have been the hydration sponsor for the fun run.
“It was really great to witness everybody tasting the moment with Twizza once they completed the race.”
DispatchLIVE
Perfect weather makes SPAR Daily Dispatch run even more fun — All results here
Image: Theo Jeptha
Hundreds of excited East Londoners flocked to the beachfront in Quigney to take part in the SPAR Daily Dispatch Fun Run on Sunday morning.
More than 600 participants left the starting line just after 9am, with the first runner finishing just 13 minutes after running the 4km route.
After Friday and Saturday’s gloomy weather, the skies cleared up and the sun shone on Sunday, giving the athletes the perfect weather for their run.
Matching the clear skies and sparkling blue Orient Pools, amateur and experienced runners of all ages donned their branded blue T-shirts and other gear for the fun morning.
Sinothando Goniwe won the 4km race, finishing in 13 minutes and 47 seconds.
Close behind him were Alwaba Gqirhana in 14 minutes, 11 seconds and Bukhobakhe Khwapuna in 14 minutes, 30 seconds.
On the 8km route, Lilitha Xengxe finished first in 30 minutes, 44 seconds, with Sihle Genu close on his heels in 31 minutes, 46 seconds, while Imange Lali finished in 33 minutes, 50 seconds.
The race also saw physically challenged individuals come in their numbers to take part.
First in the male and female wheelchair races were Codi Smith and Ingred Mostert respectively.
This year’s fun run was in aid of The Association for the Rehabilitation of Persons with Disability, also known as REHAB. The NPO received R20,000.
REHAB board chair Reuben Puchert expressed gratitude on behalf of the organisation, saying the fun run not only put the spotlight on the needs of those with disabilities, but would hopefully see more people open their hearts to assist the NPO.
“In the current economic climate we are reliant on support from the community and every bit that we can get helps us to keep our doors open,” he said.
“Like any other NPO, we really struggle to continue with our services because the finances are becoming tighter, so this event is great for us because it’s an opportunity for us to make our services known and create awareness that we, as disabled people, would really like to be part of society.
“We don’t want to be marginalised and hidden away.”
He said the funds would go a long way in assisting the NPO to upgrade its computer literacy course for people with visual impairments, and refurbish the house the NPO offered as accommodation for people with disabilities who are in rehabilitation.
“Every cent is extremely valuable to us and highly appreciated.”
REHAB was registered as an NPO in 1997 after the East London Society for the Blind, Cripple Care and the East London Society for Mental Health combined their resources and services.
The NPO serves the greater Amathole area, including Buffalo City Metro, on needs related to physical disability, mental health and visual disability.
This year’s fun run was supported by main sponsor SPAR, hydration sponsor Twizza and Gussie’s Gifting and Stationery, which sponsored prizes for the top three runners in the 4km and 8km races.
SPAR’s Alan Stapleton said: “It was a lovely, fun event with a big turnout and the weather was good.
“It was lovely to see everyone, including the disabled folk, participate.
“The event ties in so nicely with the Wheelchair Wednesday initiative we recently did in Port Elizabeth [Gqeberha].
“It’s nice to be able to be able to assist those who are physically disabled with such initiatives.”
Twizza’s Stan Andrews said: “Twizza is happy to have been the hydration sponsor for the fun run.
“It was really great to witness everybody tasting the moment with Twizza once they completed the race.”
DispatchLIVE
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