Despite failing to finish his debut Totalsports Two Oceans Ultra Marathon this past Saturday (13 April), Stephen Mokoka remains upbeat about his preparation for the Olympic Games. The former 50km World Record holder made it clear throughout his buildup to the race around the Cape Peninsula that the main objective of his 56km debut was to prepare himself for the hilly conditions he will encounter during the Olympic Marathon in Paris in August.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m grateful that I got a chance to race against the guys that I usually see on TV while getting used to the distance. It was a great experience for me,\u201d said the three-time Olympian who is the holder of a 27:38 10km lifetime best.<\/p>\n
And with that ultra marathon behind him and no ill-effects having been suffered, the 39-year-old who ran his first sub-28-minute 10km on home soil when he finished as the runner-up at the 2023 Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K, has confirmed that he will take part in the second Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series race of 2024, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K.<\/p>\n
Mokoka says the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K on May 12 is the next step on his journey to a fourth Olympic appearance.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve signed up for the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K. I\u2019ll be there. I\u2019m okay and have no pain. I stopped earlier than the long runs that I\u2019ve been doing (refering to the Totalsports Two Oceans Ultra Marathon). It\u2019s just the pace that was a little bit different. When I resume on the track, we\u2019ll see from there,\u201d states Mokoka. \u201cI\u2019m excited to be back at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K in May. The series has been good for us and it\u2019s always a pleasure to line up on race day.\u201d<\/p>\n
“We’re thrilled to welcome Stephen Mokoka to the 2024 Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K,” says Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and Series Founder<\/em><\/strong>. “Stephen’s exceptional athleticism and his continued support of the series have been truly phenomenal. His participation not only adds to the excitement of the event but also highlights the high caliber of athletes attracted to the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series. We\u2019re excited to welcome him to the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K and are honored to be part of his journey to the 2024 Olympic Games.”<\/p>\n