If you are a sports fan, then this weekend will be a great one as there is loads to watch. If you aren’t a sports fan, then unfortunately this isn’t for you. However there are plenty of fantastic sports for everyone. There’s Formula 1, running, cricket, rugby and of course the various football leagues.
Welcome to a new series on The Daily Vox: #TDVFridayRecommends. It’s the Friday Recommends series. Every Friday, we are going to be sharing something we would like to recommend or unpack to our readers. This could be a book, movie, restaurant or even an event.
Comrades Marathon 2022
It’s Comrades Marathon weekend with the race returning after a two-year hiatus. The 2022 Comrades Ultra Marathon takes place on Sunday August 28 2022. One of South Africa’s most famous races, the 90km race takes place between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. The start of the race alternates every year. This year competitors will have a ‘Down Run’ starting from Pietermaritzburg. The marathon was first run in 1921 and has been run every year since. The only exceptions were during the second World War and in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. Comrades get tens of thousands of entries. Runners have around twelve hours to complete the race. With the race returning after two years, it’s sure to be an exciting one to watch.
Spa Grand Prix 2022
After the summer break, Formula One returns this weekend with the Belgium Grand Prix. The race takes place at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, frequently referred to as Spa. With fans having had to wait almost three weeks for racing action, the race is sure to be an exciting one. This is over and above all the drama happening off the track with contract negotiations and 2023 seat allocations. There is also the possibility of Spa being taken off the race calendar which will make the race even more special. The action starts from August 26 with practice sessions, qualifying on Saturday and the actual race on Sunday afternoon. Regardless of the weather conditions, fans will likely eagerly anticipate the “it’s lights out and away they go” on Sunday.
Springboks versus Wallabies
For rugby fans, there is some great action in store with the Rugby Championship. The Springboks will be taking on the Australian team, the Wallabies. After the disappointing loss after the All-Blacks two weeks ago, the Springboks will be looking for a win. It’s an early start for rugby fans with the game starting at 07:30 on August 26. However, that’s unlikely to affect fans who will be eager to see the Springboks make some magic on the field. The Springboks will have a lot of bad history to overcome during the game. They have won just 12 of 41 Tests played to date (29%) against the Wallabies. They will definitely be hoping to overturn that statistic on Saturday and improve their standings on the table.
The Hundred
Last but definitely not least there is some fantastic cricket action for fans. There is plenty of action in The Hundred series. The series is a professional franchise 100-ball cricket tournament involving eight men’s and eight women’s teams located in major cities across England and Wales. There are six matches taking place this weekend with two men’s and two women’s in action every day. The matches will be taking place in Sophia Gardens in Cardiff, Lords in London and Edgbaston in Birmingham. With the final taking place next week Saturday, September 3, the games are sure to be full of excitement as teams try to book their places in the elimination rounds.
