Mpho Katiso will be one of the exciting young athletes to watch at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K on Sunday, 23 August 2026, as South Africa’s next wave of female distance runners looks to step into the spotlight. With the likes of Glenrose Xaba and Tayla Kavanagh increasingly making their mark internationally, Katiso is determined to seize her opportunity.

The 19-year-old 1500m specialist who completed her schooling at Prestige College in the nation’s capital last year, is excited to make her Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series debut in front of the Union Buildings.

“I have never competed in any of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series races before,” says Katiso. “But I’d love to be there to feel the huge energy of a big race on a fast course. I’m looking forward to competing against the top elites again.”

Now a student at the Tshwane University of Technology, Katiso has joined Violet and Caster Semenya’s coaching setup which boasts the likes of Glenrose Xaba, reigning African Championships 1500m gold medalist Karabo More and 2024 FISU World University Championships Cross Country Champion Karabo Mailula – making it SA’s foremost female only training group.

“Being part of coach Caster and Violet’s training group feels hard, but it’s also inspiring because you get mentorship, focus, discipline and you also learn to believe in yourself. I’m growing as a person and not just as an athlete. Glenrose, Karabo More and Karabo Mailula are more like sisters to me not training partners because we stick together and push each other. Training with them encourages me and I’ve learnt to show up even when it’s hard.”

Katiso, who is the owner of a 4:27.92 1500m personal best and produced a lifetime best 16:48 to grab the bronze medal at the national 5km championships in Gqeberha in June, understands the magnitude of the opportunity before her. She is aiming to use it as a springboard to improve on the 36:52 she clocked when she finished in 13th position and as the first junior at the SPAR Women’s Challenge in Tshwane on 1 August.

“Competing against seniors feels exciting and scary at the same time because everyone looks so confident, and you’re standing there with a ‘J’ tag on. It feels like you’re being pulled out of your comfort zone. But it teaches you about pacing and race tactics, and you also learn how to be mentally tough. It forces you to run with more courage and realise what’s possible. You have to believe in yourself.”

“My target for the Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K is to challenge myself throughout the race and push my limits. The main target is to run a PB – and not just any PB, I’ll be targeting a massive PB!”

“We’re excited to welcome Mpho Katiso to the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series for the first time,” says Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and Series Founder. “At just 19 years old, she has already demonstrated tremendous potential, and it’s encouraging to see her embracing the challenge of racing against some of South Africa’s best athletes. One of the defining characteristics of the Series is the opportunity it provides for emerging talent to compete alongside established stars, and we’re confident that experiences like these will play an important role in Mpho’s development.”

EVENT DATES: 2026 Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series

Facebook: @Gqeberha10k / @CapeTown10k / @Durban10k / @Tshwane10k / @Joburg10k / @Mangaung 10K

Instagram: @Gqeberha10k / @CapeTown10k / @Durban10k / @Tshwane10k / @Joburg10k / @Mangaung 10K

Hashtag:  #RunYourCity #AbsaRunYourCity

WhatsApp Line: 072 042 7613

Websites:  www.runyourcityseries.com

About Absa

Absa Group is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and is one of Africa’s largest diversified financial services groups. 

Absa Group offers an integrated set of products and services across personal and business banking, corporate and investment banking, wealth and investment management and insurance. Absa operates in fourteen countries. The Group owns majority stakes in banks in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania (Absa Bank Tanzania and National Bank of Commerce), Uganda and Zambia and has insurance operations in Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zambia. Absa also has representative offices in Namibia and Nigeria, and securities entities in the United Kingdom and the United States. For further information about Absa Group Limited, please visit www.absa.africa

About the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series

A proudly South African mass participation road running series, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series has been revolutionizing the sport since 2015.  A road running celebration like no other, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series now comprises six unique events namely the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K (launched in 2023), Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K (launched in 2015), the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K (launched in 2017), Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K (launched in 2023), the Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K (launched in 2016) and the Absa RUN YOUR CITY MANGAUNG 10K (launched in 2026). A diverse road running series, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series integrates businesses, families, investment in community, world class achievement and fun for all participants. For further information please visit https://runyourcityseries.com/