The Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series continues to build and provide world class events for South African stars on home soil as another two big names, Uganda’s Isaac Kibet and local hero Melikhaya Frans, confirm their entry into the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K that will debut on Sunday 02 April 2023.
This announcement is hot on the heels of Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K Champion, Daniel Ebenyo’s (Kenya) confirmation that he will descend on “The Friendly City” in his usual front running style in April. The Commonwealth Silver Medalist has two Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series wins behind his name (obtained in Cape Town in 2021 and 2022) and is aiming to make the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K his third.
Kibet is no stranger to South African shores after his 5th place finish in the 2022 Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K on 10 July where he crossed the line in 28:03. He now has his eyes firmly set on both a fast time and the podium. “I want to run 27:40 or better. And I intend to be on the podium.” Kibet has already gone 27min in the 10km when he finished 5th in the 10km De Lille in Lille, France in 2021, clocking 27:41. “I am in better shape than I was in 2022 in Durban, so I am looking forward to racing in Gqeberha. The race will be fast.”
Kibet at 26-years of age is in the prime of his life. His inclusion in the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K means that the inaugural race in the city will be a fast one. “I love running in the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series. The courses are always good, and the organisation is superb.”
Flying the flag for the host city will be the local hero, Melikhaya Frans, a man who is almost unbeatable at home. Frans has improved in leaps and bounds in recent years, with 2022 being the big breakthrough year for the 32-year-old, taking a massive 2minutes off his marathon best when representing South Africa at the World Marathon Championships (2:09.24) and slicing a whopping 37seconds off his 10k time (28:16) in 2021. For Frans flying the flag in his hometown is a big deal. “I cannot wait to run the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K. It’s here at home now, it’s going to be exciting.”
Frans fully appreciates the impact that the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K will have on his hometown and can’t wait to be on the start line come Sunday 02 April. “I’ve seen the names coming in and I see that (Daniel) Ebenyo is coming to run. So my expectation is to run 28 minutes on the day, and I will be happy, really happy with that.”
“SA’s elite and international athletes have welcomed the exciting expansion of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series from three to five mass participation events in 2023 with the inclusion of Gqeberha (in April) and Tshwane (in August),” says Michael Meyer Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and Founder of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series. “This expansion is a further sign of the popularity of the series, both in South Africa and abroad. The fast flat course in Gqeberha combined with the strong local and international field is guaranteed to deliver world class performances. Not only can’t we wait to watch the elite race unfold, but we are also excited to give Gqeberha residents the opportunity to be part of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series experience.”
EVENT INFORMATION: 2023 Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES
| 1. Sunday 02 April 2023 | Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K |
| Start & Finish Venue: Kings Beach Precinct | |
| Start Time: 07:00 | |
| Entry Fee:
1. Standard Entry: Licenced Runners R240.00 · Temp Licence: R20.00
Standard Entry Includes: · Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series Event Performance T-shirt · Absa Entrant Gifts · DHL Water Bottle · Race Number with Timing Chip · Sponsor Route Entertainment Points · Route Entertainment Points · 2 x Refreshment Stations on Route · Tog Bag Drop and Collect Service · Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series Finisher’s Medal |
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| 2. Gold Package: R1200.00
Gold Package Includes: · Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series Event Performance T-shirt · Absa Entrant Gifts · DHL Water Bottle · Exclusive Gold Package Gifts · Race Number with Timing Chip · Access to Pre-race VIP Area (incl. refreshments) · Preferential Start Seeding · Sponsor Route Entertainment Points · Route Entertainment Points · 2 x Refreshment Stations on Route · Tog Bag Drop and Collect Service · Access to Post-race VIP Area (incl. refreshments, massage, ablution facilities) · Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series Finisher’s Medal
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| 3. Sunday 14 May 2023 | Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K |
| 4. Sunday 09 July 2023 | Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K |
| 5. Sunday 27 August 2023 | Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K |
| 6. Sunday 24 September 2023 | Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K |
PRIZE PURSE: The Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series boasts an impressive, combined Prize Purse of R 1 560 000.00 in 2023. Each of the five events will be assigned R312 000.00 in prize money of which R252 000.00 will be allocated towards the Open Category (R126 000.00 going to Top 10 Open Men’s and R126 000.00 to Top 10 Open Women’s), and R60 000 towards Age Categories (Junior, 40 – 49, 50 – 59, 60 – 69 and 70+ Age Categories). To view the prize purse breakdown please visit https://runyourcityseries.com/
Facebook: @Gqeberha10k / @CapeTown10k / @Durban10k / @Tshwane10k / @Joburg10k
Instagram: @Gqeberha10k / @CapeTown10k / @Durban10k / @Tshwane10k / @Joburg10k
Hashtag: #RunYourCity #AbsaRunYourCity
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 five unique events namely the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K (launched in 2023), Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K (launched in 2015), the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K (launched in 2017), Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K (launched in 2023) 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/