After taking second place at the ASA 10km Championships on Sunday 10 March, Kabelo Mulaudzi has confirmed that his next road race will be the much-anticipated Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K on Sunday 7 April 2024.
On the back of a breakthrough 2023 season which saw him run a maiden sub-28-minute clocking to win the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K (in July), Mulaudzi is in demand, but says that the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series remains his main focus in 2024.
“My plan is to focus on the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series. If I manage to qualify for the Olympic Games that will be a bonus for me. I don’t want to confuse my season – my main priority is to do well in these Absa races.”
In order to do well though, Mulaudzi will have to get the better of the likes of national 10km record holder Precious Mashele who has also confirmed his participation. Mashele produced 27:35 during the inaugural Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series race in “The Friendly City” of Gqeberha last April, which is more than 20 seconds faster that Mulaudzi’s 27:56 personal best.
The last time that Mulaudzi and Mashele faced off in a 10km road race was during the Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K (in August 2023), where the younger Mulaudzi triumphed over his friend and rival by just two seconds in a sprint finish. However, this time around, Mulaudzi is less focused on his competitors than he is on the stopwatch and taking advantage of the SA Athlete Prize Incentive Scheme which rewards athletes with anything from R60 000 to R200 000 depending on how fast they can run.
In closing, Mulaudzi adds: “Our standard of 10km running is improving. The bonuses that the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series race organisers have announced for South African runners are a motivation for us to work harder and run faster. I think we can run 27 minutes again. My plan though is to improve on my personal best of 27:56 and if I can run the SA Record it would be a bonus.”
“We are thrilled to see top athletes like Kabelo Mulaudzi and Precious Mashele go head-to-head at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K in 2024,” says Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and Series Founder. “Their rivalry promises an action-packed race that will keep fans on the edge of their seats. With the impressive prize purse and SA athlete incentives on offer, we expect to see some incredible performances that showcase the best of South African middle-distance running.”
EVENT INFORMATION: 2024 Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series
| 1. Sunday 07 April 2024 | Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K |
| Start & Finish Venue: Beach Road, Kings Beach, Humewood, Gqeberha | |
| Start Time: 07:00 | |
| Entry Fee:
Standard Entry: · Licenced Runners R245.00 · Temp Licence: R30.00
Standard Entry Includes: · Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series Event Performance T-shirt · Absa Drawstring Bag · Absa Peak Cap · Absa Socks · Race Number with Timing Chip · Amazing Sponsor Route Entertainment Points · Lively Route Entertainment Points · 2 x Refreshment Stations on Route · Tog Bag Drop and Collect Service · Pre and Post Event Entertainment · Transport Service (to start and from finish) · Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series Finisher’s Medal |
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| 2. Sunday 12 May 2024 | Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K |
| 3. Sunday 07 July 2024 | Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K |
| 4. Sunday 25 August 2024 | Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K |
| 5. Tuesday 24 September 2024 | Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K |
PRIZE PURSE: The Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series will boast an impressive, combined Prize Purse of R 1,560,000.00 in 2024. Each of the five events will feature a total prize purse of R312,000. Within this allocation, R252,000 will be earmarked for the Open Category, with R126,000 dedicated to the Top 10 Open Men and R126,000 to the Top 10 Open Women. Additionally, R60,000 will be designated for Age Categories. The top male and female finishers in each city will be awarded R30,000 each, with R25,000 going to the second-place finishers and R20,000 to the third-place finishers. The Age Category Prize Purse will be distributed among the top three finishers in each of the Junior, 40 – 49, 50 – 59, 60 – 69, and 70+ Age Categories. To view the complete Prize Purse Breakdown visit: www.runyourcityseries.com
SA ATHLETE PRIZE INCENTIVES: The “SA Athlete Prize Incentive Schedule” is applicable to all five iconic races in the series in 2024 and will offer bonuses for exceptional performances. In the men’s category, bonuses start for times faster than 28 minutes, with a substantial R 200,000.00 bonus awaiting anyone who breaks the 27-minute barrier. For women, bonuses will start for times faster than 32:08 minutes, with a remarkable R200,000.00 incentive being awarded if the 30:23 barrier is broken.
To further elevate the excitement, an additional R50k is on the table for any South African athlete who breaks the current SA 10km record.
Facebook: @Gqeberha10k / @CapeTown10k / @Durban10k / @Tshwane10k / @Joburg10k
Instagram: @Gqeberha10k / @CapeTown10k / @Durban10k / @Tshwane10k / @Joburg10k
Hashtag: #RunYourCity #AbsaRunYourCity
Websites: www.runyourcityseries.com