The inaugural Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K on Sunday is primed for intense competition as a list of star-studded athletes will make the field.
A formidable assembly of the country’s top athletes including Elroy Gelant, Gerda Steyn, Precious Mashele, Glenrose Xaba, Kabelo Mulaudzi, Nicholas Seopesengwe and Cacisile Sosibo, to mention but a few, will gather at the iconic Union Buildings for the race.
The men’s race will feature some of the fastest athletes including record holder Mashele and RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K winner Kabelo Seboko Mulaudzi.
Mashele broke the eight-year-old South African record of Stephen Mokoka when he finished second in the inaugural Gqeberha series in April.
While the spotlight will undoubtedly be on these two men, they cannot afford to discard or ignore Mashele’s training partner, the rapidly improving Seoposengwe.
Seoposengwe stunned the big guns in the Joburg edition, showing them all a clean pair of heals and winning his biggest prize yet in South African road running.
And always lurking will be the experienced Gelant, a man who has represented South Africa a staggering 21 times. The wily campaigner will be eager to pounce on any sign of weakness showed by his rivals.
“It is always great running in this series,” said Gelant.
“You know the best will be there and you cannot come and race in the series unless you are in great shape. We can again expect great racing.”
The women’s race too boasts some big names in the likes of Lesotho’s Neheng Khatala and her local foes Xaba, Sosibo and Steyn. Xaba has had a superb 2023, breaking her 10km personal best on three occasions.
While she may not have the speed of her counterparts, Comrades Marathon queen Steyn will have an ace up her sleeve come race day.
The route will feature some climbs given the locality of the race, and Steyn is strong on those.
“I will run my own race and not worry about the other girls,” said Steyn.
“The fact that we are running over hilly terrain does suit me though, so I am excited to see what I can do on race day.”
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