Times Of Swaziland: SAMKELISIWE WINS AGAIN, E1.2K RICHER

SAMKELISIWE WINS AGAIN, E1.2K RICHER
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Melusi Mkhabela on 23/02/2025 08:06:00


MBABANE – Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) prolific athlete Samkelisiwe
Thwala has clinched her second Resolution Run title in the 21km category. This
was at Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, where Thwala crossed the finish line in just
under two hours, recording a time of 1:55:13 for the 2025 edition of the
Resolution Run. She mentioned that it was quite hard because of the hills, but
it was an enjoyable race overall. “I could say this race is the same as other
races, except for the weather; it was slippery, but it was still a runnable
route,” noted Thwala.
This achievement has also earned her a cash prize of E1 200, which includes a
one-night stay for two at the Mantenga Lodge, a day tour for two at Mkhaya, and
a Bushlands Butcheries E500 voucher, along with an NTT Toyota hamper. She will
also receive Dixies International’s three-circle and three-square coasters, a
Mgcabho construction gift pack, a Ngwenya Glass gift pack and two tickets to the
Makoti Festival.
The REPS athlete expressed her satisfaction with her achieved time, stating that
it was better than last year’s. When asked where she gauged herself in terms
of her fitness level, she highlighted that she was in the middle and approaching
her peak, while remaining intent on having a fruitful 2025 season. Meanwhile,
the event itself saw a surge in participation this year, with a total of 713
entries for the race.
Sponsors
Lactalis Eswatini Marketing Officer Lucky Phiri expressed gratitude as the
event’s primary sponsor, particularly regarding the turnout. “It was good to
see fellow sponsors also taking part; for us at Lactalis, it’s our fourth
edition, and we are extremely happy with the turnout,” expressed Phiri. He
further stated that in terms of brand alignment, they are still on par as they
try to align Lactalis with a focus on conservation and wellness, as well as
brand visibility through their Sterie Stumpi products, which are beneficial for
athletes.
“We are happy that the athletes were able to taste the products and utilise
them during their running, as they assist in boosting energy,” added Phiri.
Meanwhile, the Men’s 21km winner was Mancoba Nhlabatsi, another athlete from
REPS. Nhlabatsi expressed that he enjoyed the race, even though it was quite
challenging at times, particularly due to the slippery and muddy terrain.
“Because it rained last night (Friday), it created a lot of mud, which
required us to be cautious when running to avoid slipping,” said Nhlabatsi.
Technical
On another note, Nhlabatsi shared his reasons for not performing well in the
Yellow Epilepsy Charity Half Marathon, stating that the race was too technical
for him. It is worth mentioning that Nhlabatsi recently participated in a race
in Barberton, South Africa, where he finished in second place in the 21km
category, allowing him to make adjustments before running the Resolution Run.
This marks Nhlabatsi’s second title under this banner; however, unlike Thwala,
it is not a back-to-back title, as he was unable to attend the race last year.
Furthermore, Athletics Eswatini (AE) President Zakhele Dlamini mentioned that
their goal is to see all emaSwati participating in physical activities that keep
them in shape. “It’s a big help for us as it keeps our athletes active. We
are also pleased with the growing number of participants compared to last year,
as well as the partnerships we have forged. We need more competitions to ensure
our athletes are always ready and fit, along with the general public,” he
shared.
Athletes
Dlamini also noted that some of the country’s elite athletes from various
clubs participated and performed very well. Meanwhile, Minister for Sports,
Culture and Youth Affairs Bongani Nzima expressed gratitude for the
well-organised event at Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary. “We saw visitors from
outside the country coming to participate in the event. We are happy that the
visitors come and spend some nights, which in turn creates jobs for the
youth,” expressed Nzima. He also noted that they are hopeful that the country
will compete much better internationally with the influx of domestic
competition. “The more of these events we have, the better we can gauge
ourselves against athletes from outside the country,” he added.