By Adnaan Mohamed
For years, the Free State has produced world-class runners, yet many of its brightest stars have had to leave home to chase the country’s biggest road races. Now the road is coming to them. In a major boost for athletics in the province, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series will expand from five to six events with the inaugural Absa RUN YOUR CITY MANGAUNG 10K on October 25, handing Mangaung a seat at South Africa’s top table of road running.
The announcement has been welcomed as a game-changing victory by some of the province’s biggest athletics names, who believe the race could unlock opportunities for thousands of aspiring runners.
Former Olympian and South African 1500m record holder Johan Cronje believes the city has waited long enough.
“Mangaung has always needed a world-class road race. There are no more excuses now. Local runners can compete against some of the best athletes in the world on their own doorstep.”
Cronje expects around 5,000 runners at the inaugural event and believes it has the potential to grow into a race attracting between 10,000 and 15,000 participants.
Three-time Olympian LJ van Zyl described the arrival of the race as a watershed moment for athletics in the province.
“Young athletes no longer have to leave home to experience a race of this calibre. It’s a real game-changer.”
For Athletics Free State president Odessa Swarts, whose son Wayde van Niekerk became an Olympic champion after growing up in Bloemfontein, the race is about far more than medals and prize money.
“I’ve been excited because Free State has been overlooked for quite a while,” she said.
Swarts revealed that around 700 youngsters compete every Friday in the province’s cross-country league, with nearly 1,800 expected at next month’s provincial championships.
“This motivates our youngsters. Development starts with cross country, and now they’ll see the country’s biggest names competing alongside them. Does that not give hope? This is a story of hope.”
She believes the event will inspire children from townships and rural communities to dream bigger.
“Anyone can enter. Whether you’re from a township or a rural area, you can dream. Every day I work to help young people achieve the dreams they set for themselves. This race gives them that opportunity.”
Even Swarts has been bitten by the running bug again.
“I’ve started training because I had to be part of this. I’m competitive, so I’m hoping to break one hour. Since training for distance running, I’ve gained enormous respect for middle and long-distance athletes.”
The race is the result of a partnership between Stillwater Sports, the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality and the Free State Department of Economic Development and Tourism.
Since Absa became title sponsor in 2021, more than 200,000 runners have taken part in the series, which now stretches across Gqeberha, Cape Town, Durban, Tshwane, Johannesburg and Mangaung.
Stillwater Sports Managing Director Michael Meyer said the expansion was another important step in growing the series while creating tourism and economic opportunities for host cities.
Absa Group Chief Marketing and Corporate Affairs Officer Sydney Mbhele said runners had been calling for Mangaung to be included for years.
“We are proud to have listened because at Absa, we believe every story matters.”
Mbhele added that the bank’s R1 Campaign has already raised almost R10 million through Team Absa’s Strava activities to support school vegetable gardens across South Africa, with Free State communities set to benefit.
Mangaung Executive Mayor Gregory Nthatisi said the race would showcase the city’s heritage and hospitality while creating opportunities for local businesses.
Free State MEC for Economic Development and Tourism Ketso Makume believes the event will strengthen the province’s growing reputation as a sport tourism destination.
For a province that has spent years watching South Africa’s biggest road races from the sidelines, the starter’s gun in Mangaung will signal far more than the beginning of another 10km. It will announce that the Free State has finally arrived.
