ROAD RUNNING

As impressive as that all is , the seventh edition of race has made it even more iconic in the annals of South Arican road running , with three new national records ( two senior and one age category ), a new SA women ’ s all-comers record , and five men dipping under 28 minutes in an SA race for the first time , including four local athletes . It really was a record-breaking , actionpacked day of running .

First Win for Gelant

Having recently been confirmed as part of the South African men ’ s marathon team for the Paris Olympics , Elroy Gelant came to Durban to test his speed a month before the marathon . Having run his first sub- 28-minute 10km at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K in May , where he finished second in 27:54 , he put on a tactical masterclass in Durban to win the race with a new lifetime best of 27:47 . “ It ’ s great to get my first Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series win . It took a lot of strength in the last part of the race , but I ’ m happy I managed to hold on to the end . It ’ s also a combination of discipline and hard work in training . To win is crucial , in terms of building the confidence leading up to the Olympics ,” said an elated Gelant .

He was followed home by defending champion Kabelo Mulaudzi ( 27:53 , also a PB ), while Thabang Mosiako grabbed the last podium position in 27:54 , finishing third here for the second year running . Tanzania ’ s Mao Ako was fourth in 27:55 ( another PB ), with former SA Record-holder and another Paris marathon selectee , Stephen Mokoka , fifth in 27:56 . That made it five men under 28 minutes , four of them South Africans , beating the previous record for a

The leading men , with Elroy Gelant setting the pace

South African race of four men under 28 in the 2018 and 2022 editions of the Durban race , and beating the previous record of three South Africans going sub-28 in the same race , which happened here in the 2023 edition of the race .

SA Record-holder Precious Mashele narrowly missed a second career sub-28 when he finished sixth in 28:01 , while young Ugandan Keneth Kiprop improved his best to 28:03 for seventh place , and current SA 10,000m champion Nadeel Wildschutt leapt up the SA all-time list with his 28:07 effort , pointing to the fact that he could join his brother Adriaan in the Sub-28 Club soon . ( You can read more about this exclusive club in the sidebar on the next page .)

Women Steal the Show

In the women ’ s race , Christine Nalimo Njoki of Kenya led from gun to tape and crossed the line in a personal best 30:37 , not only setting a new SA All-comers Record , but also posting the fastest time ever run by a woman on the African continent . The Kenyan was understandably elated with her performance , saying , “ This was my first time running in South Africa , and I ’ m so happy to be here today . It was a surprise to me , because I didn ’ t expect this time .” ( The previous fastest time run in SA was the 30:40 posted by Uganda ’ s Stella Chesang in the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN

Christine Njoki runs the fastest women ’ s time on African soil

Durban Results

These are the top 10 men ’ s and women ’ s results from the Absa RUN YORU CITY DURBAN 10K on 7 July 2024 .

Images : Anthony Grote , Gavin Ryan , Wade Howard

Elroy Gelant takes a welldeserved win , with a new PB

25