Mashele targets Absa DURBAN 10K CITYRUN

Absa welcomed as Title Sponsor of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series
Absa welcomed as Title Sponsor of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series

 

South African long-distance runner Precious Mashele has welcomed the news that both the Absa DURBAN 10K CITYRUN (Sunday 31 October) and Absa CAPE TOWN 12K CITYRUN (Sunday 21 November) will be actual events in 2021.

Mashele has his sights set on making an impact in both races, with the first being the Absa DURBAN 10K CITYRUN on 31  October, which incorporates the South African 10km Championships, a title Mashele has won the last two times the championships were held (2018/19).

“I am excited for Durban. It has been a tough year for us, so being able to race again is really good news,” said Mashele from Poland where he had just finished 4th in the Poznań Half Marathon.

Poznań was yet another milestone for Mashele, taking 24seconds off his Half Marathon best to clock 60:00. It has been quite the year for Mashele, posting lifetime bests in the 5000m (13:11.65), 10 000m (27:55.87) and now in the Half Marathon (previous best 60:24 run at the World Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, Poland in 2020). Mashele also won his first National Half Marathon title in May this year to add to the SA 5 000m crown he defended from 2019.

Having to chase opportunities, Mashele was able to qualify for the Olympic Games in the 5000m, an experience he freely admits was extraordinary. “It was strange with all the testing and security measures; a very weird Olympic experience and the competition was on another level. I learned much in Tokyo and used that in Poland and will use that for the Absa DURBAN 10K CITYRUN on 31 October.”

Mashele is looking to win the prestigious race for the first time in his career, having placed 4th in 2019 with his Personal Best of 28:26. “The Absa DURBAN 10K CITYRUN is a big race, a prestigious race, so for me to win that will be a big feather in my cap.” Should Mashele emerge triumphant, then this would be his third successive 10km National Title on the trot.

Mashele will be up against some stiff opposition.  Training partner, Desmond Mokgubu who was also in Tokyo for the Olympics, but for the marathon, has also confirmed he will be in Durban as well a resurgent Ryan Mphahlele.

Mphalele took the South African running community by storm when he raced Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei to the final 400m of the 3000m in the Grand Prix Race in Pretoria on 08 March 2018. Cheptegei would go on to be crowned 5000m and 10 000m Commonwealth Games Champion and break the 15km World Record and has subsequently added World Cross Country, World 10 000m and Olympic 5 000m titles to his name. Mphalele picked up an injury in 2019 and has only of recent come back to the form he showed in 2018 when he won the SA 4km Cross Country title. Mphalele won that very same title again this year, beating up and coming talent, Mbuleli Mathanga to the line. Mphalele has unfinished business in Durban. In 2018 at the DURBAN 10K CITYRUN he ran 28:46 for 8th in his only ever appearance on the roads.

Boasting an elite and mass race, with the incorporation of the Athletics South Africa 10km Championships, the prize money has been divided up into an event prize purse and an ASA 10km Championships prize purse.  Only athletes who are entered by their respective province for the ASA 10km Championships stand to win both parts of the prize money.

The total prize purse is R253 800.00 (R155 000.00 event prize purse and R98 800.00 ASA 10km Championships prize purse).  

 

EVENT INFORMATIONAbsa DURBAN 10K CITYRUN 

Date: Sunday 31 October 2021
Start Venue: Snell Parade (South Bound)
Finish Venue:  Durban Beach Front Precinct (near Bike & Bean)
Entry Fee:

 

·         Standard (Licenced Runner):  R 225.00

·         Temporary Licence:  R 40.00

 

CHARITY SUPPORT:  When entering the 2021 Absa DURBAN 10K CITYRUN online runners have the option to make a change by supporting five Durban based charities:  the Durban & Coast SPCA, iThemba Lethu, Reach For A Dream Foundation (RFAD), TREE and LIV Village.

The Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series has once again partnered with GivenGain.   When entering the Absa DURBAN 10K CITYRUN online, runners can donate or start their own fundraising page to support a cause that lies close to their hearts.

Facebook: Durban10k

Instagram: @Durban10k

Hashtag:  #RunYourCity

Websites:  www.durban10k.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 CAPE TOWN 12K CITYRUN (launched in 2015), the Absa DURBAN 10K CITYRUN (launched in 2017) and the Absa JOBURG 10K CITYRUN (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/

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