2026 Totalsports TWO OCEANS ULTRA MARATHON Champion Arthur Jantjies is excited about the inaugural Absa RUN YOUR CITY MANGAUNG 10K, which will take place on Sunday, 25 October 2026, saying it will breathe new life into the sport of athletics in South Africa’s heartland by empowering and inspiring the next generation of top runners.
The 26-year-old Jantjies, who defeated the likes of 2024 Totalsports TWO OCEANS ULTRA MARATHON Champion Onalenna Khonkhobe to claim victory at ‘The World’s Most Beautiful Ultra Marathon’ in April, believes that local youngsters can only be inspired when they line up alongside some of South Africa’s finest.
“This is big for the Free State and the Northern Cape because we will be able to run against the best and share knowledge,” explained Jantjies, who clocked 3:09:25 to win this year’s Totalsports TWO OCEANS ULTRA MARATHON after joining legendary ultra-marathon coach John Hamlett at the beginning of the season.
Under Hamlett’s guidance, Jantjies saw his 10km personal best improve to 29:19 in May, which was followed by a 29:32 clocking at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K on 12 July. The Pan African Resources elite athlete is predicting a fast time on the flat Free State Absa RUN YOUR CITY MANGAUNG 10K route, warning that he cannot be counted out of a top-10 finish.
“We have a flat course and dry air, so everything is nice here,” adds Jantjies, who hails from the Northern Cape town of Hopetown, situated roughly 120km from Kimberley.
Commenting on Jantjies’ participation, Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and Series Founder, said: “Arthur is a fantastic addition to the inaugural Absa RUN YOUR CITY MANGAUNG 10K, and his journey from the Free State and Northern Cape running community to becoming a Totalsports TWO OCEANS ULTRA MARATHON champion is hugely inspiring.
Bringing the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series to Mangaung is about more than adding another race to the calendar; it’s about creating opportunities for local runners to compete alongside some of South Africa’s best and showing the next generation what is possible. Having Arthur in the mix at the inaugural event makes his participation particularly special.”
EVENT DATES: 2026 Absa RUN YOUR CITY MANGAUNG 10K
| Date: | Sunday, 25 October 2026 |
| Start Time: | 07:00 |
| Start Line: | Sir George Grey Street exit of Grey College |
| Finish Line: | Kings Way (Bloemfontein) |
| Entry Fee: | Entry Fee: R 255 (Licensed Runner) Temp License Fee: R70 |
| Entry Fee Includes: | Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series Event Performance T-shirt Absa Drawstring Bag Absa Peak Cap Absa Socks Race Number & Timing Chip Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series Finisher’s Medal Major Sponsor Activations Route Entertainment Points 3 x Refreshment stations on route Tog Bag Drop and Collect Service Post Event Entertainment |
| Entries Open: | Saturday 01 August 2026 |
| Entries Close: | Thursday 08 October 2026 or once capacity has been reached |
Facebook: @Gqeberha10k / @CapeTown10k / @Durban10k / @Tshwane10k / @Joburg10k / @Mangaung 10K
Instagram: @Gqeberha10k / @CapeTown10k / @Durban10k / @Tshwane10k / @Joburg10k / @Mangaung10k
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/