As the defending champion, Elroy Gelant will be under the spotlight when he lines up for the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K on Sunday 13 July. He’ll be joined by Kenya’s Vincent Kipkorir – the fastest man in the field – who will also be among the top contenders for the win.

Gelant, who took eleventh position during last year’s Olympic Marathon, used that performance in Paris to launch himself to a sizzling 2:05:36 lifetime best – almost a full minute faster than the 2:06:33 South African record run by Gert Thys 26 years earlier. Two weeks after setting that national record at the Hamburg Marathon, the Boxer Athletics Club ace surprised many by clocking a fast 28:08 to take fourth position at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K hosted in May this year.

“My training has been going really well,” says Gelant, who is a 3-time Olympian. “Obviously the big goal is the World Championships in Tokyo in September where I’ll be running the marathon since I’ve already qualified. So all of my preparations are now set for the World Champs.”

The Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K features as a key milestone to determine Gelant’s readiness to finish inside the top ten over 42km in Japan. Reflecting on the 27:47 10km best he clocked to win the 2024 Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K ahead of Kabelo Mulaudzi, the 38-year-old North West University lecturer says although he knows that winning a 10km race against younger, faster men won’t be easy, he is up for the job.

“Being the defending champion for the Durban leg of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES, I intend to go out there and defend my title and also see if I can get close to running a personal best. It will also be a good race to test my leg speed going into the World Championships. I’m looking forward to it. My plan is to win the race. But it will be tough with all the quality performers we have in South Africa,” admits Gelant.

In addition to the likes of Kabelo Mulaudzi and Lesotho’s Kamohelo Mofolo, Gelant will also have to contend with Vincent Kipkorir. The Kenyan finished as the runner-up behind Adriaan Wildschutt at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K with an impressive 27:48 and then announced himself to the world a fortnight later when he clocked a world class 27:08 to take fifth place at the Adizero: Road to Records in Germany. In addition to winning the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K, Kipkorir is hungry to eclipse the 27:16 SA All-Comers record by delivering the fastest time ever run on SA soil.

“I’m feeling confident going into the Durban race,” confirms Kipkorir. “I have worked hard to stay injury-free and maintain peak form. My goal in Durban is to run a very fast time – possibly a personal best if conditions allow. I’m aiming to go under 27 minutes. With the right course, conditions, and competition, running under 27 or even closer to 26:30 can happen here in Africa. The talent is here, the support is growing, and races like the Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES are making it possible.”

“It’s fantastic to have Elroy Gelant back at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K, ready to defend his title,” says Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and Series Founder. “Elroy has been a staunch supporter of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES since the beginning, and we’re incredibly proud to see him go from strength to strength, even when up against fierce competition from younger athletes. At the same time, we’re thrilled to welcome Vincent Kipkorir to Durban. He’s hungry to race, and with his sights set on the SA All-Comers record, we’re expecting fireworks. The fast, flat Durban course is made for big performances, and this year’s race is shaping up to be a real battle. We can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.”

EVENT DATES: Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K

CHARITY SUPPORT: The Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES proudly supports the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) as the official charity of the entire series of events. A non-profit leader in the fight against cancer since 1931, CANSA enables research, educates the public and advocates for and supports all people affected by cancer, while leading SA towards a cancer-free society. When entering an Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES event online, runners can show their support by donating towards CANSA.

Prize Purse: The Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES boasts an impressive, combined prize purse of R1 610 000.00 in 2025. Each of the five events will feature a total prize allocation of R322 000. Of this, R252 000.00 will be dedicated to the Open Category, with R126 000.00 awarded to the Top 10 Open Men and R126 000.00 to the Top 10 Open Women. The top male and female finishers in each city will receive R30 000.00 each, with R25 000.00 going to second-place finishers and R20 000.00 to third-place finishers.

Additionally, R70 000.00 will be allocated to Age Categories. The Age Category prize pool will reward the top three finishers in the Junior, 40–49, 50–59, 60–69, and 70+ age groups.”

South African Athlete Incentives: The Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES also has an unprecedented “SA Athlete Prize Incentive Schedule” for 2025. Applying to all five races, the incentive schedule offers bonuses for exceptional performances. In the men’s category, bonuses will start for times faster than 28 minutes, with a substantial R200 000.00 bonus for breaking the 27-minute barrier. For women, bonuses begin for times faster than 32:08 minutes, with an impressive R200 000.00 incentive for breaking the 30:23 mark.

To further raise the stakes, a bonus of R50 000.00 will be awarded to the South African athlete who breaks the SA 10km record (at the time of the race). It is important to note that the R50 000.00 will be awarded to the fastest time.

To view the 2025 Prize Purse Breakdown and SA Athlete Incentive Schedule, visit https://runyourcityseries.com/

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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 comprises five 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) and the Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K (launched in 2016). 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/