Pre-race favourites Kabelo Mulaudzi and Glenrose Xaba lived up to the hype on Saturday, winning the senior men's and women's 10km titles at the ASA Cross Country Championships in Middelburg.
Mulaudzi won his third straight national cross country title, but he had to work for it in a hard-fought tactical race held in warm and windy conditions.
He had Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) teammates Zenzile Pheko and Bennett Seloyi for company until the last of five laps, though he finally managed to shake them off to win the race in 31:28.
Pheko, only 20 years old, grabbed the runner-up spot in 31:42, and Seloyi, the national marathon champion, finished third in 31:54.
"The race was tactical because this course is tough and last week I was racing, so I was a little bit stiff," Mulaudzi said.
"But I'm happy with my performance today, defending my title. I knew I was a target, so I just focused on my race and kept pushing."
Xaba had a much easier time of it, breaking away from the rest of the field on the first lap and gradually stretching her lead until she crossed the finish line nearly three minutes ahead of her nearest opponent in 35:12.
Her training partner and Athletics Gauteng North (AGN) teammate Karabo Mailula earned the silver medal in 37:57, and Cacisile Sosibo (CGA) hung on to grab bronze in 38:26.
"It was a bit windy and it was warm, but not too hot. And the course was good because it was challenging," Xaba said.
"I'm still preparing for my next marathon (later this year), so I needed that strength because cross country is about the power you put in. This is good preparation for the marathon."
OTHER RACE RESULTS
In other races, U23 athlete Sibusiso Msibi (CGA) won the men's 4km in 11:46, and he was followed home by AGN athletes Musawenkosi Mnisi, who clocked 11:58, and Etienne van Wyk who crossed the line in 12:00.
With the race combining the senior and U23 age groups, Abednico Choba (AGN) was the first senior athlete to finish, in fourth place overall (12:02).
Karabo More, representing AGN, successfully defended her national senior 4km title in 13:34.
Danielle Verster was 20 seconds behind More, completing the event in 13:54 in the colours of Athletics Central North West (ACNW) to take second position overall and win the U23 division.
Ntsoaki Mohlahloe of KwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA) was third overall in 14:08, taking the silver medal in the senior division.
Over the 2km distance, Boikanyo Motlhamme (CGA) retained his national senior title in 5:38, and Carmie Prinsloo (AGN) won the senior women's race in 6:31.
Among the juniors, Amogelang Tatai (ACNW) won the U20 men's 8km race in 26:02. Anele Matsoso of Athletics Vaal Triangle (AVT) was second in 26:28 and Oratile Masigo (CGA) ended third in 26:48.
In the U20 women's 6km contest, Lara van der Merwe (AGN) triumphed in 22:56. Anele Ndawonde (KZNA) claimed the silver medal in 23:03, and Andrea Steynberg (ACNW) was 21 seconds further back, securing bronze in 23:24.
There was a record turnout in Middelburg, with more than 4 300 athletes representing all 17 of Athletics South Africa's member provinces across a wide range of age groups, from children under the age of 8 to runners over 90.
"What a splendid day it was!" was how James Moloi, the President of Athletics South Africa summarised it. "It was once again mass participation at its best.
"There can never be anything more joyous than watching the thrill of all age groups in competition, chasing their various dreams."