After a race in which the lead changed hands several times, Rutendo Nyahora on Saturday stormed to the front to win the Spar Women's 10km Challenge in Centurion for the second year in a row.

She finished in 35 minutes 25 seconds, with Lebo Phalula second in 35:40. Glenrose Xaba third (36:16), while Phalula's twin sister, Lebogang, finished fourth in 36.32.

Nyahora got off to a good start and took the early lead, before she was passed by former Pretoria champ Mapaseka Makhanya and Lebo Phalula. Makhanya led for much of the way, until Lebo and Nyahora went into the lead, leaving the rest of the front runners well behind.

"At one stage, Mapaseka and Lebo were fighting for position, so I just stayed behind them and waited for my chance. I know this route very well, and I knew that they would get tired, so I just waited for my chance, and when it came, I took it," said Nyahora.

Nyahora and Lebo Phalula both ran the Olympic marathon in Rio last month, Nyahora for Zimbabwe and Phalula for South Africa.

Phalula said: " I feel different about myself now that I can call myself an Olympian. I came third last year, and second this year. Next year it's my race."

The junior runners who are being mentored by Grand Prix winners took the first three places in the junior race. Diana-Lebo's protégé, Koletso Senosi was first, followed by Nicole van der Merwe, mentored by Irvette van Zyl, and Makhanya's protégé, Simonay Weitz, was third.