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Sub-27 Dream alive as Cheptegei leads World-Class Durban 10K field

Adnaan MohamedNewsLeave a Comment on Sub-27 Dream alive as Cheptegei leads World-Class Durban 10K field
By Adnaan Mohamed

Joshua Cheptegei’s appearance at the 2026 Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K has attracted what organisers believe is the strongest men’s field ever assembled for a 10km road race on African soil.

The Ugandan superstar, an Olympic champion, multiple world champion and world record holder over 5 000m and 10 000m, will line up in Durban on 12 July against a field packed with international winners, national record holders and emerging stars eager to test themselves against one of the sport’s modern greats.

Leading the list of challengers is Kenya’s Felix Masai, whose 27:24 personal best makes him one of the fastest men in the race. The Totalsports Two Oceans Half Marathon champion expects Cheptegei’s presence to elevate the standard of competition.

Felix Masai (Kenya) has a 10km PB of 27:24. PHOTO CREDIT: Action Photo

“He is one of the greatest distance runners of all time, and competing alongside him raises the level of the entire field,” said Masai.

“My race target is to give my best. I like competing in South Africa.”

Another athlete to watch is Kenyan Gilbert Kiprotich, who arrives in Durban with confidence after a strong performance at the Lisbon Half Marathon.

“I’m feeling well after the Lisbon Half Marathon. I took some time to recover before shifting my focus to preparing for racing in South Africa,” said Kiprotich.

“Looking back to the Half Marathon, where I recorded a 10km split of 27:01 and considering how the second half of the race unfolded, I believe I am capable of running comfortably under 27:00 in Durban.”

Kiprotich believes favourable conditions and strong pacing could produce something special.

Gilbert Kiprotich (Kenya) has a 10km PB of 27:43. PHOTO SUPPLIED

“We are hoping for favourable weather conditions and strong pacing on race day. I feel inspired by the opportunity to race against Joshua Cheptegei. He is a world-class athlete, and competing alongside him will provide valuable experience and contribute significantly to my development as a professional athlete.”

Lesotho national record holder Kamohelo Mofolo returns to the race where he set his country’s 10km mark in 2025 and believes the course remains one of the fastest on the continent.

“The Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K is a flat, fast course with few turns, and if the conditions are right it allows for very quick times,” said Mofolo.

“Every race here feels like it has the potential to be something special, and I’m honoured to be part of such an impressive lineup.”

Mofolo added that racing against athletes of Cheptegei’s calibre presents a valuable opportunity.

“Racing against athletes like Joshua Cheptegei is a great opportunity because he is an amazing runner, and I’m excited to learn from the best while sharing the start line with him.”

South African hopes will rest largely on Kabelo Mulaudzi, whose development has been closely linked to the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series.

“I am grateful to the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series because it created a platform for me to obtain an invitation to a big international race,” said Mulaudzi.

“I am extremely excited to be part of this event and it is always great to run in South Africa against the world’s best athletes.”

The South African believes competing alongside Cheptegei can bring out the best in the field.

“I have always enjoyed the challenge of racing against better athletes than myself and it is great to be lining up with Joshua. I hope that he will help bring out the best in me and all the other athletes competing in the race.”

Adding further depth is Cheptegei’s Ugandan training partner Emanuel Kibet, who boasts a personal best of 27:37 and is expected to play a significant role at the front of the race.

Stillwater Sports Managing Director and Series Founder Michael Meyer believes Cheptegei’s participation has transformed the event.

“Joshua Cheptegei’s participation has drawn a truly extraordinary depth of field to the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K, bringing together world champions, record holders, and some of the fastest road runners on the planet,” Meyer said.

“This level of quality not only elevates the competitive standard of road running in South Africa, but firmly cements the 2026 Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K as the Greatest 10K on African Soil.”

Meyer added that the strength of the field could produce a historic result.

“In conditions like these, with such depth and intent at the front of the race, the possibility of a historic performance, even a breakthrough sub-27-minute 10km, becomes a real possibility.”

Visit Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K for more info.

Cape Town 10K set to blaze as elite stars line up for city showdown

Adnaan MohamedNews, PreviewLeave a Comment on Cape Town 10K set to blaze as elite stars line up for city showdown
By Adnaan Mohamed

The Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES Cape Town 10K is shaping into a race that could leave scorch marks on the Mother City’s streets this weekend, with elite athletes targeting fast times, national bragging rights and a slice of history.

The women’s race has emerged as the main attraction with the elusive sub-30 minute barrier firmly in sight for the first time on South African soil.

Kenya’s Faith Cherono enters as the quickest athlete in the field with a personal best of 30:06 and is expected to drive an aggressive pace from the opening kilometre. Fellow Kenyan Jackline Rotich also arrives with proven pedigree and should add further pressure at the front.

South African attention, though, will centre on Glenrose Xaba and Tayla Kavanagh in a contest carrying the feel of a championship prize fight.

Xaba has become the country’s dominant road runner in recent seasons, producing performances as smooth and relentless as a train gathering speed downhill. Kavanagh has rapidly climbed the ranks and continues to show the fearless racing instincts needed to survive a brutal pace on a fast course.

“Cape Town is known for quick times and strong competition,” said Xaba. “When the field moves hard from the start, everyone gets pulled into the race.”

Kavanagh believes the race could deliver something special.

“A sub-30 has been hanging in the air for years,” she said. “This field has the athletes capable of chasing that mark.”

The men’s race also carries serious firepower.

Kenyan speedster Felix Kibet Masai leads the entries with a lightning-fast 27:24 personal best and will start among the favourites alongside South African veteran Stephen Mokoka, whose experience and tactical awareness remain among the sharpest in the domestic road running scene.

Kabelo Mulaudzi, Tanzania’s Jummanne Ngoya and a powerful local contingent including Bongelani Mkhwanazi and Chris Mhlanga should ensure the pace remains fierce throughout.

Mokoka expects an uncompromising race from the gun.

“When athletes with these personal bests line up together, the pace naturally becomes aggressive,” he said. “You need to be ready for every move.”

With cool rainy, coastal conditions expected, deep international fields and national stars eager to seize the spotlight, Cape Town’s roads are set to become a high-speed theatre for one of the most anticipated races on the local calendar.

See full list of male and female elite contenders below:

World No.1 Brenda Jepchirchir targets historic Sub-30 African 10K debut in Gqeberha

Adnaan MohamedFeatures, News, PreviewLeave a Comment on World No.1 Brenda Jepchirchir targets historic Sub-30 African 10K debut in Gqeberha

Kenya’s Brenda Jepchirchir, the 20-year-old world No.1 will toe the line at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K on Sunday, 1 March 2026, chasing history and dragging the pace of women’s road running on the continent into uncharted territory.

Fresh from her electrifying victory at the Valencia 10K in January, where she scorched the streets in 29:25, Jepchirchir has already torn through one of distance running’s most stubborn psychological barriers. Now she’s eyeing something even bigger: becoming the first woman to run a sub-30-minute 10km road race on African soil.

Jepchirchir’s rise has been built on patience and precision. Her Valencia performance launched her to the top of the 2026 world rankings and cemented her status as one of the sport’s most feared road racers. But rather than staying on Europe’s lucrative circuit, she’s followed the fast lane south. It’s a path previously carved by icons such as Genzebe Dibaba and Yelamzerf Yehualu.

The draw is simple: the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series has become a speed laboratory where elite athletes don’t just chase times, they manufacture them.

“I’ve heard great things about the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series and the Gqeberha 10K. The course is known for being fast, the organisation is excellent, and the competition is strong. I’m excited to experience racing in South Africa and to be part of such a high-energy event,” Jepchirchir said.

Her presence transforms the race into a high-octane proving ground for South Africa’s leading women’s 10km specialists, particularly Glenrose Xaba and Tayla Kavanagh amongst others. Both runners have steadily tightened their grip on the domestic road scene, and lining up beside the world’s fastest woman is the equivalent of stepping onto a treadmill that keeps accelerating.

For Xaba, a proven championship racer with tactical steel, Jepchirchir’s relentless tempo could serve as the perfect pacing carrot, or a punishing reality check. Meanwhile, Kavanagh’s fearless front-running style could thrive in a race that promises to unfold at record-threatening speed. The clash offers South African athletes a rare opportunity to test themselves against global gold standard pacing without leaving home soil.

Jepchirchir’s breakthrough wasn’t accidental. It was the product of months spent stacking disciplined mileage like bricks in a foundation built for speed.

“It was an amazing feeling and a very special moment for me. Valencia is such a competitive race, so winning there and breaking 30 minutes for the first time meant a lot,” she explained.

“The biggest factor has been consistency. Over the last six months I’ve been able to train well, stay healthy, and really build momentum. On 1 March, the goal is to put together a strong race, compete well, and see what time is possible on the day. If conditions are right, I’d love to run fast again, but the focus must also be on execution and racing smart.”

Race organisers believe Jepchirchir’s debut injects jet fuel into an already electric event.

“To have the current world No.1, fresh off a sensational win in Valencia, choose to make her South African debut at our event speaks volumes about the stature of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series,” said Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and Series Founder.

“Brenda’s presence raises the bar once again and guarantees an exciting, world-class race for both elite and recreational runners on the streets of Nelson Mandela Bay.”

With a combined prize purse of R1.686 million across the 2026 series, alongside performance incentives designed to reward South African athletes, the Gqeberha leg promises fireworks.

Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K START by Anthony Grote

When the starter’s gun cracks, the race could unfold like a perfectly executed negative split: smooth, controlled, and devastatingly fast when it matters most.

2026 Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series dates

1 March: Gqeberha 10K

10 May: Cape Town 10K

12 July: Durban 10K

23 August: Tshwane 10K 24 September: Joburg 10K

For more info visit: https://runyourcityseries.com/

Glenrose Xaba, A Standout Performer at the SPAR Grandprix

Roxanne MartinFeaturesLeave a Comment on Glenrose Xaba, A Standout Performer at the SPAR Grandprix

The SPAR Grand Prix has injected life into the women’s elite racing scene in South Africa, with scintillating times being run throughout the series, and one of the South Africans to catch the eye was Glenrose Xaba, who eventually finished third in the 2021 Grand Prix standings. – By Sean Falconer

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Tuck into good reads about Glenrose Xaba’s great SPAR results, Stef & Sabrina’s Oyster Catcher father-daughter adventure, the comeback story about Comrades Green Debbie Fass after her hip replacement, a welcome back for sprinter Carina Horn, Mindlo Mdhluli’s journey from learning to swim to ultra triathlete, and Sue Ullyett describes the hard times she went through in coming back from being seriously ill with COVID, PLUS all you need to know about the record-breaking adidas adizero shoe range.