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Heritage Day, Saturday 24 September, will see the streets of Jozi painted red when close to 12\u00a0000 runners take on the final event in the 2022 Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K.<\/p>\n
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It has been three years since the popular race that goes through the heart of the city was held and excitement is at fever pitch. In typical Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series fashion, the streets will be lined with entertainment. No less than seven activation points will provide the race with an electric and festive atmosphere, and it starts with the first four kilometres running on the M1 and M2 Highways.<\/p>\n
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Up front a fierce battle is expected to rage with arguably the best field assembled in 2022 as the likes of Olympian, Precious Mashele, SA 10km Champion, Andries Sesedi, rising star Nicholas Seoposengwe, SA 10km Cross Country Champion Mbuleli Mathanga and SA 5000m record holder, Elroy Gelant will be looking to close out the season in style.<\/p>\n
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Mathanga is the fastest in the field with his 28:03 run at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K in July and is full of confidence after his dominating run at the SA Cross Country Championships on 17 September where he won the 10km race. \u201cI am confident for race day,\u201d said Mathanga. \u201cI sprained my ankle around 7km into the race in Durban (Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K) and just missed out on breaking 28min. So I am looking for a good race on Saturday.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Precious Mashele has made it known that only a win will be good enough and he showed he is coming back into great shape after his comfortable win at the Gun Run 10km where he crossed the line in 28:35. \u201cI want to win. I am back after having had to deal with some injuries in 2022, but I am back.\u201d<\/p>\n
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New Kid on the block, Andries Sesedi will keep the pack honest. The 21-year-old showed racing savvy rarely seen in one so young to win the SA 10km Title on 13 August. His timely move was too much for the race favourite Mbuleli Mathanga and his win will have boosted his confidence to no end, meaning the big guns and favourites cannot ignore Sesedi come 24 September. Runner up behind Sesedi at the SA 10km Championships was Nicholas Seoposengwe and just as it was for Sesedi, that race was a big breakthrough for Seoposengwe, who is also only 21.<\/p>\n
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Elroy Gelant has been quiet since his 10\u00a0000m run at the Africa Championships in July, but it is always an ominous sign when Gelant goes \u201coff radar\u201d, it means he is preparing for something big and Gelant has made it known that he is eyeing a podium position at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K.<\/p>\n
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Eastern Cape\u2019s Melikhaya Frans was second in the Gun Run and Reghen Magwai third, meaning they too are in good form and will be right in the mix with the front pack. Frans will be a hard man to beat after his experience at the World Marathon Championships where he took 2 minutes off his marathon best. Kabelo Melamu is fresh off his win at the SA Cross Country Championships 4km, expect him to be in the mix too.<\/p>\n
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Other names to look out for are the ever-dangerous Collen Mulaudzi and Thabang Mosiako who has found a new lease on his racing career after moving to the Eastern Cape to train with Melikhaya Frans. But race favourite has to be the fastest man in the field, Namakoe Nkhasi who set a new Lesotho 10km record and shaved almost 40sec off his PB when he finished second in the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K, clocking 27:52.<\/p>\n
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The women\u2019s race will be just as exciting with no less than six athletes who have gone sub 33min over the 10km distance. Race favourite on paper is Lesotho\u2019s Neheng Khatala with her 32:06 PB run at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K on 15 May. The popular Gerda Steyn is looking for a good run and her 74:51 for second at the Gun Run will bode well for her as she was racing on Marathon Pace in preparation for the New York Marathon in November. The Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K is the perfect race for her to get some speed work in and she will be sure to be up front with the leaders. Lebo Phalula has found her form again and is close to the 32:27 best time she set in 2014. Her 32:59 run at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K is a clear indication that she is approaching the best form of her life.<\/p>\n
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Glenrose Xaba though will be difficult to beat. Xaba was crowned SA 10km Champion on 13 August and SA 10km Cross Country Champion on 17 September. Since July Xaba has won the Foskor Half Marathon (73:55), the Johannesburg Totalsports Women\u2019s Race (34:35), the SA 10km Title and the SA 10km Cross Country Title and is running injury free. \u201cI am feeling good. I have had a busy time since July but have had some good results and winning the SA Cross Country Championships 10k shows me I am in shape. So I am expecting a good race.\u201d<\/p>\n Kesa Molotsane will renew her battle with Xaba and Cacisile Sosibo on race day, and on the new route of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K that takes in around 4km of the M1 and M2 Highways, expect some faster times in both the men\u2019s and women\u2019s races.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n EVENT INFORMATION<\/u><\/strong>: 2022 Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a>