The Mother City is bracing itself for a “storm” of a different kind this week as an impressive contingent of the best athletes in the World as well as the best South Africa has to offer travel to Cape Town to compete in the 7th annual Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K on Sunday 15 May 2022.
Leading the charge at this iconic race is the 2021 winner, Daniel Simiu Ebenyo who is currently the fourth fastest 10km runner in the world. Ebenyo became part of an elite group of athletes who has broken the 27min mark in the 10km after running 26:59 in Valencia in February this year. The 26-year-old Kenyan made the global running fraternity sit up and take notice of his pedigree when he qualified for the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo by running a 12:55.88 in Luzern for the 5000m. Many had touted him as one of the danger men for the 12 and half lapper at the Games, but a fall in the qualifying rounds in Tokyo saw him robbed of potential glory.
Stung by that mishap, Ebenyo took to the streets with meaning by flying to a solo victory in the then Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 12K (now changed to the 10km distance). Within 4km Ebenyo had broken a stellar field and powered his way to a 34:01 win. Had it not been for a strong head wind in the first half of the race, many believe Ebenyo would have set a new world best over 12km.
Racing from the front and controlling the pace has become a trademark of Ebenyo. He did it in the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 12K in 2021, he followed those same tactics in qualifying for the Olympics and repeated that strategy in winning the Valencia 10km in 26:59 earlier this year. Ebenyo has already indicated that he want’s nothing less than a fast time. “I know I am in great shape after going sub27 and I am looking for nothing less than another fast time and victory,” said Ebenyo. “I want to defend my title. I know the field is deep with Mokoka (Stephen Mokoka) and Isaac (Kipkemboi – 2nd in 2021) returning and if I want to win, I will need to run fast.”
Kipkemboi who finished second in 2021 is also back. The 2021 Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 12K was the break through race for the young Kenyan. Kipkemboi was invited to the 2022 N Kolay Half Marathon in Istanbul in 2022 on the back of his Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 12K performance. The N Kolay Half Marathon is one of the most prestigious Half Marathons on the global circuit and receiving an invitation to the race is an indication that “you have arrived” on the world stage.
Add in Mogos Tuemay of Ethiopia who recently ran 60:11 for the Half Marathon and the international onslaught at the 2022 Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K will be devastating.
But the South African contingent of Stephen Mokoka, Elroy Gelant, Precious Mashele and Mbuleli Mathanga are hungry to overturn the win of Ebenyo in 2021 and are hatching plans. All four are aware that a win will require going into new territory for all of them, even SA 10km Record Holder, Stephen Mokoka.
In 2015 Mokoka clocked 27:38 for the 10km SA Record in Manchester. To date he is the only South African other than Shadrack Hoff to have broken 28min and Mashele, Gelant and Mathanga know that it will take all of their ability to be able to join that elite group of athletes. Gelant is deep in preparation for the Olympic Games and is again targeting the 5000m. Given that he is the SA Record Holder (13:04.88) and wants to break 13min for the 5000m he knows that a sub 13min puts him in 27min and possibly even faster shape for the 10km. Mathanga has been included into the team that will head off to the Africa Championships in Mauritius in June in the 10 000m. That inclusion and the opportunity to race in the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K have him setting his sights on a 27min time in the 10km on Sunday 15 May. If you want to be counted as an international danger man, running 28min low for the 10km is no longer the benchmark. Anything under 28 minutes is now the yard stick and the South African contingent are well aware of this and have made it clear that the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K is the place to make an emphatic statement.
On the women’s front it looks no less impressive with 2018 Commonwealth Games 10 000m Gold Medallist, Stella Chesang returning to the Mother City for another stab at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K. Chesang in 2018 won the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K race, missing out on the All-Comers record by a mere second, clocking 31:14 to set a new Ugandan National Record. And improving her 10km best time by 30seconds. Countrywoman, Mercyline Chelangat, the 2017 Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K winner and runner up behind Chesang in 2018, will line up on 15 May in Cape Town. Boasting a best of 31:33, Chelangat will be dangerous especially given her recent 69:24 Half Marathon in Poznan Poland. Chelangat was on course record pace in spite of the lack of pace setters and broke away from the field after 15km. It was only after the 18km mark that she fell off the course record pace due to a strong head wind.
2021 Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 12K winner, Jesca Chelangat also returns on 15 May to defend her title as will last year’s runner up, Lesotho’s multiple National Record Holder and Olympian, Neheng Khatala.
Looking forward to May 15 is South Africa’s latest running sensation, Tayla Kavanagh. At 20, Kavanagh was the driving force in the 2021 Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K, which doubled as the SA 10Km Championships. Pushing from the gun, Kavanagh clocked 32:10, the fourth fastest ever time by a South African. Both her coach, Andrew Booyens, and Kavanagh are confident of being able to break the 32min mark. Joining her is Women’s Only 50km World Record Holder and third ever fastest 10km South African lady, Irvette van Zyl who ran her 32:06 PB at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K in 2018.
The Mother City is bracing itself for a “storm” through the streets of Cape Town this coming Sunday 15 May as racing gets under way at 9am.
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 License: R40.00
2. Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K Date: Sunday 10 July 2022
3. Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K Date: Saturday 24 September 2022
CHARITY SUPPORT: When entering the Absa RUN YOUR CITY 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 and 5. Die Burger Kinderfonds.
LIVE BROADCAST: The action of the 2022 Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K will be broadcasted LIVE on Super Sport 209 between 08:30 – 11:00 on Sunday 15 May 2022.
SA ELITE ATHLETE PROGRAMME: The Absa RUN YOUR CITY 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 RUN YOUR CITY Series boasts a whopping combined prize purse to the value of R870 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. To view the 2022 Absa RYC CAPE TOWN 10K Prize Purse breakdown please visit https://bit.ly/C10KPrizePurseBreakdown
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/