SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge brings out the best

As fitness enthusiasts gear up for the national SPAR Women’s Virtual

Challenge on Saturday, September 3, four phenomenal women role models from KwaZulu-Natal have been selected to carry the torch as brand ambassadors for the race.

With the race theme for this year’s challenge being “I Rise”, these women can all attest to their personal “risings”, having overcome various challenges and determinedly made their way to the top of their games.

The race ambassadors for the KZN leg of the 2022 SPAR KZN Women’s Virtual Challenge are former Protea netball star and Baby Protea coach Precious Mthembu; the Sharks, SA Rugby and firefighting hero Zinhle Ndawonde; actress and comedian Lisa Bobbert; and life coach, radio, TV and film personality Raeesa Mahomed.

This year’s race theme is a celebration of how SA’s women are mastering today’s challenges. Using the hashtag #IRise, the 2022 SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge inspires all participants to become a part of a triumphant community that rises above its challenges. This is particularly relevant to KZN’s community, as it emerges from its recent hardships after the floods.

No stranger to the spotlight, multi-awardwinning actress and comedian Lisa Bobbert has overcome many hurdles in both her personal and professional life. Most recently, rising above the Covid challenge that crippled SA’s live performance industry, Bobbert and her husband, Aaron McIlroy, took the forced time out to recreate and re-envision themselves. They established the successful social media channel Welcome2Durban and streamed their shows on online platforms.

Well-known life coach, radio, TV and film personality Raeesa Mahomed claims her greatest life achievement is raising and empowering her two beautiful daughters. Having conquered breast cancer in 2013, she embarked on a journey of self-discovery, which led her to being certified as a master life and transformation coach. She has helped many people rise above their challenges to become the best version of themselves and create the life they want.

For KZN Netball’s darling, Precious Mthembu, life started out in Botha’s Hill, a small town outside Hillcrest, but her netball career has taken her far. She has been honoured with the 2021 KZN Sport Personality of the Year Award, has 97 national netball caps, is the U21 Baby SPAR Proteas’ assistant coach and the U19 SA Netball head coach. She also inspires the pupils at Danville Park Girls’ High School, where she teaches isiZulu and guides future netball stars.

Being a female rugby player in a rural community, Zinhle Ndawonde had to rise above stereotyping and hasn’t let anything stop her from realising her dreams. While the passionate and determined young woman’s journey has not been easy, Ndawonde says rugby offered her many life-changing opportunities, along with a chance to see the world. Her tremendously physical career demands a clean and healthy lifestyle, which she embraces.

Taking to the roads on race day, the four ambassadors will be encouraging as many people as possible to join them. They will be rising early to take to some of Durban’s most scenic routes, where they hope to meet and greet members of the public participating in this fantastic event.

“We are so honoured to have such incredible role models as our 2022 ambassadors for our virtual challenge,” says Max Oliva, MD SPAR KZN.

“The last two years have been incredibly challenging for our province, and everyone has been affected in some way by the upheavals we have experienced. Having positive voices who have risen above their own personal challenges provides us with a vision and hope that we can all rise.

“We look forward to seeing our KZN SPAR Women’s Challenge family and friends — old and new — taking part this year, and to the sense of community the race offers people across the country.”

Anyone around the country can enter the race — visit www.sparvirtualchallenge.co.za and select your region. Entries cost R120 and include a T-shirt, medal, face buff, drawstring bag and a My Virtual Challenge magazine. There are options to have the packs sent via the delivery service Pargo or delivered to participating SPAR stores.