With the Gqeberha edition of the Absa Run Your City series done and dusted, more big names from East Africa are expected in the upcoming races to assist local runners in improving and running faster times in their quest to compete against some of the best in the world.
The organisers of these innovative 10km races, which are spread across SA’s biggest cities such as Cape Town, Johannesburg, Tshwane, Durban and Gqeberha, are bringing out big guns to come and inspire South African runners. In the Windy City last week, they brought Kenyan top runners Vincent Kibet Langat and Diana Chepkorir who taught the locals a thing or two about road running.
The organisers are also working around the clock on inviting more high profile and best runners from the rest of the African continent.
Following the recent announcement of the series’ unprecedented, combined prize purse of R1,56-million in 2024, Stillwater Sports, the organisers of the acclaimed road running series, have also unveiled an impressive “SA Athlete Prize Incentive Schedule” for the 2024 edition of the series.
The “SA Athlete Prize Incentive Schedule” will offer bonuses for exceptional performances. In the men’s category, bonuses start for times faster than 28 minutes, with a substantial R200 000 bonus awaiting anyone who breaks the 27-minute barrier. For women, bonuses will start for times faster than 32:08 minutes, with the same R200 000 incentive being awarded if the 30:23 barrier is breached.
To further elevate the excitement, an additional R50 000 is on the table for any South African athlete who breaks the current SA10km record.
Sunday World takes a look at some of the big guns who have graced the competition:
Vincent Langat: After a memorable duel against Precious Mashele, the Kenyan Langat praised his competitors, saying South African runners are tough and it wasn’t easy for him to win the race.
The 23-year-old Kenyan was speaking after winning the Gqeberha race last week.
He was pushed all the way by Mashele, who ended up settling for third (28:19) as a fast-finishing Elroy Gelant pipped him at the finishing post to claim the runner-up position (28:17).
Langat, who took 10th place in the senior men’s 10km race at the notoriously competitive Kenyan Cross Country last month, spoke highly of his first South African racing experience, saying he looked forward to returning.
“I came here because I wanted to run a fast time. It was a bit windy but I’m happy. I would like to come back again.”
Diane Chepkorir: Train hard, race easy!” That is the advice that Chepkorir gave when asked to share a pearl of wisdom about what it takes to make it to the top.
At just 22 years old, the Kenyan is one of only 17 women on the planet to have run 10km in under 30 minutes. She achieved the feat at the Fasca Castellón 10km race in Spain in February. The steeplechaser-turned-roadrunner still impressed as she led from gun to tape to win in a dominant 31:15.
Elroy Gelant: South Africa’s Elroy Gelant will use the Cape Town edition as part of his Olympic Games preparation.
The 37-year-old Boxer Athletics Club man just missed out on automatic Olympic qualification when he ran a lifetime best of 2:08:56 at the Zurich
Marathon in Sevilla, Spain, in February, says he will be using the Series to ensure that he makes a third consecutive Olympic appearance.
“I’m in much better shape,” said Gelant. “The next priority now is to qualify for the Olympic Games. Being an Olympic year and because I’ve been to the Olympics twice before it’s almost an automatic switch to get my mindset right.
“You still need to push yourself to maybe a 27:10 to be competitive at the Olympics. But I’ll give it another chance at the South African Marathon Championship late in April in Durban. I want to secure my spot.”
Bekelech Teki Wariyo from Ethiopia, Kenyan Daniel Ebenyo and locals Glenrose Xaba and Precious Mashele are some of the athletes who have pounded the streets and dished out some breathtaking performances in past races.
