Lucketz not at Lucky Star race

FIVE-time winner of the Lucky Star Marathon, Lucketz Swartbooi, will not defend his title in Walvis Bay tomorrow.

Swartbooi yesterday said that he has taken leave from competitions for the rest of the year. The 39-year-old long-distance runner added that he would still be training but would not run competitively until January 2006.Although he won only one race, Swartbooi was recently crowned the champion of the 2005 Old Mutual Victory Race Series after he set the best collective time during the three-stage event that ended on September 24.It is not known if the 2004 open female winner, Beata Naigambo, will defend her title tomorrow.Naigambo, who has won the event four times in a row, could not be reached for comment yesterday.Race organiser Lovina Plato of Etosha Fisheries in Walvis Bay said they were hoping to break the 300-entry mark this year.She said entries have already been received from 80 teams and 31 school teams for the relay event, while 40 runners have entered for the 10-km run and 20 for the 42,2-km marathon.Late entries will still be accepted today from five o’clock at the Etosha Fisheries premises in Walvis Bay.The winners of the open male and female marathon races will pocket N$3 000 each, while the top school will get N$3 500.The marathon race will start at the Etosha Fisheries premises at 06h30 and the schools’ relay at 06h45.The finish line will be at the tennis courts in Swakopmund, where the 10-km race will start and finish.- NampaThe 39-year-old long-distance runner added that he would still be training but would not run competitively until January 2006.Although he won only one race, Swartbooi was recently crowned the champion of the 2005 Old Mutual Victory Race Series after he set the best collective time during the three-stage event that ended on September 24.It is not known if the 2004 open female winner, Beata Naigambo, will defend her title tomorrow.Naigambo, who has won the event four times in a row, could not be reached for comment yesterday.Race organiser Lovina Plato of Etosha Fisheries in Walvis Bay said they were hoping to break the 300-entry mark this year.She said entries have already been received from 80 teams and 31 school teams for the relay event, while 40 runners have entered for the 10-km run and 20 for the 42,2-km marathon.Late entries will still be accepted today from five o’clock at the Etosha Fisheries premises in Walvis Bay.The winners of the open male and female marathon races will pocket N$3 000 each, while the top school will get N$3 500.The marathon race will start at the Etosha Fisheries premises at 06h30 and the schools’ relay at 06h45.The finish line will be at the tennis courts in Swakopmund, where the 10-km race will start and finish.- Nampa