The opening leg of the Absa Run Your City 10K series in Gqeberha is shaping up to be a thrilling affair following the confirmation that two of South Africa’s fastest athletes in the distance will be participating.
With national record holder Precious Mashele having already signed up, the organizers announced that his Boxer Athletic Club teammate Kabelo Mulaudzi will also be toeing the start line in the Friendly City on Sunday April 7.
“We are thrilled to see top athletes like Kabelo Mulaudzi and Precious Mashele go head-to-head,” said Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and Series Founder. "Their rivalry promises an action-packed race that will keep fans on the edge of their seats. With the impressive prize purse and SA athlete incentives on offer, we expect to see some incredible performances that showcase the best of South African middle-distance running.”
Mulaudzi has just come off a good run at the weekend when he finished as runner-up in the Athletics South Africa (ASA) 10km National Championships. He actually crossed the finish line in third place in a time of 29:50 but was elevated to second after winner Matthews Leeto was disqualified for not wearing a permanent licence.
Following a fantastic breakthrough season last year in which he won two of the RUN YOUR CITY races – one of them in a sub 23 minutes time - Mulaudzi was understandably disappointed with his showing in Johannesburg at the weekend.
“Bad race,” he told journalists afterwards before adding “It is still early in the year, I will improve with each subsequent race.”
And there can be no denying he will run a much faster time in his next race on the fast course of Gqeberha where he is sure to also be pushed by the competition to turn on the turbo.
While he nurses hopes of earning a track (10 000m) qualification for the Paris Olympics taking place in August, Mulaudzi is planning to give the fiver race Series a full tilt.
“My plan is to focus on the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series. If I manage to qualify for the Olympic Games, that will be a bonus for me. I don’t want to confuse my season - my main priority is to do well in these Absa races.”
Doing well will mean outgunning Mashele who set the national record of 27:35 in the ‘Windy City’ last year April. While that time is a good 20 seconds faster than Mulaudzi’s PB of 27:56, the younger athlete will go to the race confidence he has the beating of his older adversary.
Last year at the much tougher Tshwane leg, Mulaudzi was victorious in a sprint finish against Mashele, Not that Mulaudzi goes to the race thinking about the opposition.
With the organisers having put up incentives for SA runners that can see athletes banking anything from R60 000 to R200 000 based on how quickly they finish the race, Mulaudzi’s battle will be solely against the clock.
“Our standard of 10km running is improving. The bonuses that the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series race organisers have announced for South African runners are a motivation for us to work harder and run faster. I think we can run 27 minutes again. My plan though is to improve on my personal best of 27:56 and if I can run the SA Record it would be a bonus.”
IOL Sport