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Gerda Steyn’s message of inspiration in Bloem

Adnaan MohamedComrades Marathon, Features, News, Totalsports Two Oceans MarathonLeave a Comment on Gerda Steyn’s message of inspiration in Bloem
By Adnaan Mohamed

Gerda Steyn returned to the City of Roses for her first competitive race in Bloemfontein with a message that could outlast any finish-line clock: believe in your dreams, work hard and never rule yourself out.

The ultra-distance specialist, a five-time Comrades Marathon champion and seven-time Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon ultra winner, found herself back in the city of her birth for Sunday’s inaugural Absa RUN YOUR CITY MANGAUNG 10K, where 5,000 participants turned the streets into a rolling celebration of road running.

Steyn grew up in Bothaville and studied at the University of the Free State. Her homecoming carried a personal significance, and she used it to encourage the next generation to dream big.

“If I think back to the years I lived here in Bloemfontein, nobody would have imagined that Gerda would become a professional athlete, win the Comrades or become an Olympic athlete,” she said.

“Never think it cannot be you. You can achieve something if you work hard for it and believe in your dreams. You can accomplish great things if you are prepared to put in the hard work every day.”

Known for conquering ultra-distance challenges, Steyn also showed her versatility over 10km, finishing sixth overall in the women’s race in 35:01 as the second South African behind winner Glenrose Xaba.

The Boxer Athletics Club star claimed her first Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series victory of the season in 32:10. Kenya’s Jackline Rotich was second in 32:15, with Lesotho’s Neheng Khatala third in 32:19 after winning the Hollywoodbets Joburg 10K the previous week.

“I’m very excited to win Absa. I’m glad that I’m able to be the one crossing the line,” Xaba said.

The course served up a stern test around the seven-kilometre mark, where a climb demanded both strength and tactical discipline. Xaba had inspected the route the previous day and was prepared for the challenge.

She also stressed the importance of bringing elite athletes closer to young fans, giving children the chance to meet their role models and picture themselves lining up in future races.

In the men’s race, Kenya’s Felix Masai Kibet, winner of the 2026 Two Oceans Half-Marathon, set the pace and held firm to win in 28:14.

“I enjoy racing in South Africa, just like Two Oceans Half-Marathon earlier this year. It went well again today,” he said. “I felt good. There was no competition from start to finish. The course was quite fast, with a hill with two kilometres to go.”

South Africa’s Kabelo Mulaudzi finished second in 28:43, followed by teammate Zenzile Pheko in 28:54.

Mulaudzi admitted he had left his challenge too late after allowing Masai Kibet to dictate the early pace. “Filex started fast. We thought we would catch him. But by the time we started to close the gap it was too late. I’m happy with today because I’ve been struggling with injury this year. The race was good. It’s just that I closed the gap too late,” he said.

The Mangaung race added Bloemfontein to the six-event series, which drew about 60,000 participants across its events. The Cape Town race was cancelled because of adverse weather.

For Steyn, the day’s lasting legacy may have been the reminder that every champion starts somewhere, and sometimes the most powerful finish is the one that inspires someone else to begin.

GET YOUR ABSA RUN YOUR CITY MANGAUNG 10K RESULTS HERE:

Gerda Steyn’s Free State homecoming gets a 10km twist

Adnaan MohamedComrades Marathon, Features, Preview, Totalsports Two Oceans MarathonLeave a Comment on Gerda Steyn’s Free State homecoming gets a 10km twist
By Adnaan Mohamed

Gerda Steyn will trade ultra-marathon endurance for 10km speed when she lines up at the inaugural Absa RUN YOUR CITY MANGAUNG 10K in Bloemfontein on Sunday, 25 October.

For one of South Africa’s most accomplished road runners, the race carries a personal significance. Steyn grew up in the Free State and attended university there, yet has never raced competitively in the province.

She describes her Mangaung debut as a “homecoming” and a full-circle moment.

“The Free State is where I grew up and also where I went to university. Being part of this first Absa RUN YOUR CITY MANGAUNG 10K feels like a homecoming, a full-circle moment because I’ve never actually raced in the Free State or the Northern Cape,” Steyn said.

“I’m sure I will recognise every corner and every turn. Racing a 10km also exposes me to a different side of the running community because I get to meet different people and new faces that I don’t get to meet at the marathons and the ultra-marathons. It’s very, very special indeed.”

Steyn arrives with formidable credentials. The seven-time Totalsports TWO OCEANS ULTRA MARATHON champion and five-time Comrades Marathon winner has a 10km personal best of 32:24, set in 2020.

The shorter distance will also serve a practical purpose as she rebuilds her speed following another demanding ultra-marathon season.

“I always find that stepping down from the ultra-marathon and marathon distance to race a 10km is very beneficial,” she said.

“After success at the Totalsports TWO OCEANS ULTRA MARATHON and Comrades Marathons this year, I’ve had time to recover and I’m back on the road again, working on my speed.”

The “Smiling Assassin” knows the 10km demands a different kind of aggression.

“The training and the racing for 10km is quite different to the long distances. There’s no room for mistakes. You have to be ready to go from the gun, which forces me to stay sharp and keep focusing on the speed side of my training.”

Steyn has previous experience of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series, having competed in the inaugural Tshwane 10K in 2023.

The series began in Cape Town in 2015 and attracted more than 50 000 runners across the country last year. Mangaung becomes its sixth city.

“I think from the start the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series has had such a wonderful reputation for bringing mass participation and world-class elite-level performances to the heart of South Africa’s urban spaces,” Steyn said.

“Every runner can attest to the fact that the experience, from entering the race to finishing the race, is always so pleasant, which is why we have seen its tremendous growth.”

For Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and Series Founder, Steyn’s appearance adds another dimension to the inaugural event.

“Gerda has such a strong connection to the Free State, so to have her return to race here for the first time makes this a particularly special moment,” Meyer said.

The race starts at 07:00 at the Sir George Grey Street exit of Grey College, with the finish on Kings Way.

Steyn’s target is straightforward.

“My aim is to get the most out of myself on race day, which is all I can ask of myself.”

In Mangaung, the ultra queen gets a chance to show how sharp her shorter-distance claws remain.

Websites: www.runyourcityseries.com

Free State’s wait ends as RUN YOUR CITY expands to six races

Adnaan MohamedFeatures, News, PreviewLeave a Comment on Free State’s wait ends as RUN YOUR CITY expands to six races
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.