2023 SERIES
Action-Packed
Year So Far
With three out of five races already run in the 2023 Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series , we ’ ve already seen a new SA Record , a World Record attempt , multiple personal bests , and scintillating racing . Here is a round-up of those first three races .
Record Run in Friendly City
Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQBERHA 10K Sunday 2 April 2023
Daniel Ebenyo
Bekelech Teku Wariyo
The inaugural Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQBERHA 10K could not have asked for a better debut , as the elites took full advantage of near perfect conditions to run spectacular times . Kenya ’ s Daniel Ebenyo , winner of the Cape Town race in 2021 and 2022 , was intent on beating the SA All-comers Record of 27:16 ( run in the 2018 Durban race by Uganda ’ s Joshua Cheptegei ), and his relentless early pace saw the rest of the pack playing catch-up the entire race .
He passed 5km in 13:11 , at an incredible average pace of 2:38 per kilometre and on course to clock a finishing time of 26:22 , which would have taken two seconds off the current World Record of 26:24 ! However , he slowed a little to clock 14:10 for the second half , and eventually stopped the clock on 27:21 . “ I ’ m not happy with my time . I wanted a personal best , but it is early in the year , so I still have some work to do ,” he said after taking the win .
Behind the Kenyan , South Africa ’ s Precious Mashele was having the race of his life as he flew across the line in 27:35 to break the eight-year-old SA Record of 27:38 , run by Stephen Mokoka in 2015 . In the process , Mashele pulled Thabang Mosiako to a massive personal best of 27:52 , setting a new Eastern Province Record and the fourth-fastest time ever by a South African . Mashele ’ s previous best time was 28:11 , meaning his took an incredible 36 seconds off his PB , while Mosiako took an equally impressive 34 seconds off his previous best of 28:26 .
The women ’ s race was expected to be dominated by Kenya ’ s Diana Chesang , who clocked 31:55 to finish second in the 2022 Durban race , but a knee issue reduced her speed , leaving her countrywoman Fridah Ndinda to set the pace . Ndinda went through 5km in 15:09 , with Bekelech Teku Wariyo of Ethiopia and Docus Ajok of Uganda trailing 30 seconds behind her , closely followed by South Africa ’ s Glenrose Xaba and Lesotho ’ s Neheng Khatala . Ndinda ’ s early pace cost her in the second half as she was passed by Wariyo in the final kilometre , with the Ethiopian winning in 31:36 . Ndinda had to settle for second , with Ajok rounding out the podium , while Xaba was fourth over the line , smashing her personal best by 22 seconds .
Precious Mashele
Top 10 Results from Gqeberha
TOP 10 MEN
1 Daniel Ebenyo Kenya 27:21 2 Precious Mashele South Africa 27:35 3 Thabang Mosiako South Africa 27:52 4 Denis Kipngetich Kenya 28:01 5 Abere Mamo Ethiopia 28:06 6 Wellington Varevi Zimbabwe 28:07 7 Mbuleli Mathanga South Africa 28:08 8 Isaac Kibet Uganda 28:17 9 Mogos Tuemay Abrha Ethiopia 28:22 10 Asbel Kiprop Rutto Kenya 28:22
TOP 10 WOMEN
1 Bekelech Teku Wariyo Ethiopia 31:36 2 Fridah Ndinda Kenya 31:41 3 Docus Ajok Uganda 32:15 4 Glenrose Xaba South Africa 32:23 5 Neheng Khatala Lesotho 32:43 6 Cacisile Sosibo South Africa 33:25 7 Diana Chesang Kenya 33:38 8 Lebo Phalula South Africa 33:43 9 Fortunate Chidzivo Zimbabwe 34:14 10 Rutendo Nyahora Zimbabwe 34:41
Kenyans Triumph in Mother City
Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K Sunday 14 May 2023
For the first time since the race ’ s inception in 2015 , the weather in Cape Town was not ideal , and the windy and blustery conditions saw the race become a tactical war of attrition until the field hit the bottom end of the City . A leading group of 20 men passed halfway 14:43 , But around the 7km mark , with the group whittled down to 10 , Kenya ’ s Victor Kipruto surged as the runners turned into lower Adderley Street , and took South Africans Precious Mashele and Thabang Mosiako with him .
Mosiako briefly took the lead around the 8km mark , but the Kenyan came back at him , and the trio were all together again as they hit the last kay descending to the bottom of Lower Long Street . Kipruto then made a winning surge , and crossed the line in 28:28 , having run the second half in 13:45 . SA Record-holder Mashele finished second
Images : Tobias Ginsberg , Mark Sampson , Anthony Grote
18 Run Your City Series