The organisers of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY (RYC) Series are excited to announce that Isaac Kipkemboi (Kenya), Mogos Tuemay (Ethiopia) and South Africa’s Precious Mashele will join the arsenal of elite athletes that will line up on Sunday 15 May 2022 to take on the Absa RYC CAPE TOWN 10K.
“We are excited to add three more exceptional athletes to our 2022 Absa RYC CAPE TOWN 10K line-up,” says Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and Founder of SA’s leading 10km road running series. “Our goal is to have the World’s best runners compete against SA’s best on home soil. We are looking forward to an exceptionally fast race both in the men’s and women’s category. Having said this, we still have a few big names to announce before race day. Without letting the cat out of the bag, we also have an exciting announcement regarding the route which we will share soon.”
Runner up at the 2021 Absa RYC CAPE TOWN 12K, Kipkemboi is the latest edition to the already stellar field announced for race day after the confirmation that defending champion and the 2022 world’s third fastest 10km runner, Daniel Simiu Ebenyo (Kenya) and Uganda’s female superstars, Stella Chesang and Mercyline Chelangat will be returning to the Mother City.
Although Kipkemboi had to settle for second behind Ebenyo in the 2021 race which was the last to feature a 12km distance, before the race became a 10km distance in 2022, it did earn him an entry into this year’s N Kolay Istanbul Half Marathon, one of the most prestigious races on the global calendar. Kipkemboi finished 7th in 61:40 in atrocious conditions in only his second half marathon. In October 2021, Kipkemboi debuted over the 21.1km with a 6th place in Nairobi.
Although a relative newcomer to the global racing scene, Kipkemboi caught the eye of the road running fraternity after his runner up spot in the Absa RYC CAPE TOWN 12K in 2021. Prior to that and his 6th place in Nairobi, Kipkemboi had quietly been moving through the ranks. He debuted in the athletics world as an 18-year-old in 2018 with a 9th place at the Kenyan U20 trials in the 10 000m, clocking 29:13.8 in Nairobi. In 2019 he finished 5th in those very same trials. With the Covid Pandemic shutting down international racing and as a relative unknown, Kipkemboi had no racing to look forward to until the Absa RYC CAPE TOWN 12K.
Now the budding star is back and is all business for the 2022 Absa RYC CAPE TOWN 10K on May 15. “I am looking at running a 27 low and want to win,” said Kipkemboi from Kenya. “I have been training hard here in Kericho (West Kenya – 2002m altitude) and my coaches, Peter Kirui and Sammy Bii (coach of the Kenyan marathon team last Olympics) are very happy with where I am, so I am confident for Cape Town.”
Also in the mix is Ethiopia’s Mogos Tuemay. The 24-year-old clocked a 27:50 in the Herzogenaurach 10km (Germany) in 2021, but of greater significance is his 60:11 half marathon time in Napoli in February this year. Tuemay clocked 27:23.49 over 10 000m and 13:10.04 (5000m) in 2019 and clearly has a good turn of speed. The fast and flat course of the race will suit his racing style to the T and Kipkemboi and defending champion, Ebenyo will ignore him at their peril.
Machine Mashele looking to upset the apple cart
While the foreign force will be looking to stamp their authority on the race, South Africa’s 10km champion and Olympian, Precious Machine Mashele (running in the colours of Boxer Athletics Club) will be looking to upset their plans.
“I am looking for a top three,” said Mashele. “I know these guys are fast. I know I will be in good shape and I know how they race after seeing them (Ebenyo and Kipkemboi) in action in Cape Town last year. My legs were a bit heavy then after a long season and a hard Absa RYC DURBAN 10K (incorporating the SA Championships that saw him defend his title in an epic showdown with friend and rival, Stephen Mokoka), but I will be fresher this year. I am running the ASA 5000m championships (Saturday 23 April) and then the Absa RYC CAPE TOWN 10K, so I will be on fresh legs.”
Mashele had an incredible 2021. First missing out on running a marathon due to the Pandemic, he intended to try and qualify for the Olympics, then turning his focus to trying to qualify for the 5000m. On his 6th attempt, at literally the ‘hour before midnight’ Mashele hit the qualifying mark. What made that run so remarkable was that it was held in a stadium that had suffered a power failure. The coaches and athletes at the meeting parked their cars in such a way so that their headlights would show Mashele the way.
On 17 October, Mashele missed out on joining the sub 60 club (Half Marathon) by literally a second when he finished 4th in the Poznan Half Marathon in Poland, clocking exactly 60minutes. There was no stopping him though in the Absa RYC DURBAN 10K when he powered away from Mokoka in the final kilometre to successfully defend his national 10km title and with that become the new king of the road over the shorter distances (Mokoka still reigns supreme in the Marathon).
But the long season took its toll, and he was only able to finish 9th in the Absa RYC CAPE TOWN 12K. 2022 though is a different story. Mashele is fresh and hungry. “I’m looking for top three and in Durban I want 27(min),” said Mashele.
With more names still to be announced, the Absa RYC CAPE TOWN 10K is shaping up to be the hottest race on the South African circuit and will have athletes and races the world over keep an eye on the happenings in the Mother City come Sunday 15 May.
EVENT INFORMATION: 2022 Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series
1. Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K
Date: Sunday 15 May 2022
Entry Fee:
Standard (Licensed): R235.00
Gold Package (Licensed): R900.00
Temporary Licence: R40.00
Entries Close: Monday 09 May 2022
2. Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K
Date: Sunday 10 July 2022
Entries Close: Monday 04 July 2022
3. Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K
Date: Saturday 24 September 2022
Entries Close: Sunday 18 September 2022
SA ELITE ATHLETE PROGRAMME: The Absa RYC Series has launched the 2022 SA Elite Athlete Programme aimed at providing South African runners with the opportunity to run world class times on South African soil. The programme is aimed at ensuring that the best South African athletes compete in the Absa RYC Series, against some of the best athletes in the world, and are rewarded for world class performances.
Read more here: https://runyourcityseries.com/latest-news/absa-run-your-city-series-launches-the-south-african-elite-athlete-programme/
PRIZE PURSE: The 2022 Absa RYC Series boasts a whopping combined prize purse to the value of R690 000. Athletes that form part of the SA Elite Athlete Programme and Contender Programme will also be eligible to win their share in the event prize purse at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K, Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K and Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K.
CHARITY SUPPORT: When entering the Absa RYC CAPE TOWN 10K online entrants can choose to support five local charities:
1. Reach for a Dream (RFAD),
2. help2read,
3. Cotlands,
4. Cape of Good Hope SPCA
5. Die Burger Kinderfonds.
PLEASE NOTE: The event organisers will at all times adhere to Government Regulations regarding COVID-19.
Facebook: @CapeTown10k / @Durban10k / @Joburg10k
Instagram: @CapeTown10k / @Durban10k / @Joburg10k
Hashtag: #RunYourCity #AbsaRunYourCity #RunPuma
Websites: www.runyourcityseries.com
About Absa
Absa Group is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and is one of Africa’s largest diversified financial services groups.
Absa Group offers an integrated set of products and services across personal and business banking, corporate and investment banking, wealth and investment management and insurance.
Absa operates in fourteen countries. The Group owns majority stakes in banks in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania (Absa Bank Tanzania and National Bank of Commerce), Uganda and Zambia and has insurance operations in Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zambia. Absa also has representative offices in Namibia and Nigeria, and securities entities in the United Kingdom and the United States.
For further information about Absa Group Limited, please visit www.absa.africa
About the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series
A proudly South African mass participation road running series, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series has been revolutionizing the sport since 2015. A road running celebration like no other, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series comprises three unique events namely the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K (launched in 2015), the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K (launched in 2017) and the Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K (launched in 2016).
A diverse road running series, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series integrates businesses, families, investment in community, world class achievement and fun for all participants.
For further information please visit https://runyourcityseries.com/