The field for the inaugural Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K is filling up fast with the latest announcement that Precious ‘Machine’ Mashele and living legend, Stephen Mokoka will enter the fray on Sunday 02 April 2023.
Already confirmed is the Commonwealth Silver Medalist and front running Kenyan, Daniel Ebenyo who has alluded to a world best time, and hometown favourite Melikhaya Frans who is adamant that the Kenyan will have a battle on his hands.
The addition of both Mashele and Mokoka means that once again the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series has attracted the best that the country has on offer over 10km road running. The latter two were involved in a titanic tussle at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K in October 2021 when the National Title was also at stake. It was Mashele who emerged triumphant that day, running his lifetime best of 28:11.
Mokoka is the current SA 10km and Half Marathon Record holder with his 27:38 and 59:36 from 2015 and 2020 respectively. Mokoka is in the shape of his life after narrowly missing out on the SA Marathon record when he clocked 2:06.42 in Osaka on 26 February 2023. In the process he took almost a minute off his Marathon best.
With both Mashele and Mokoka in the mix, the race will be an honest one and fast times will be assured.
“I love running in the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series,” said Mashele. “The organisation is right up there with international races, and we get to run these at home. It is great for us as athletes.”
Mashele has committed to run in all five of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series races in 2023, starting with the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K on 02 April. “I want to get as close to 28min as possible, maybe even go under 28min in Gqeberha.”
Mokoka has been part of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series since its inception in 2015. The stalwart of South African Road Running believes that the Series is the reason why Road Running in South Africa has picked up again in the last 5 to 7 years. “We get to run against the best in the world at home. It means we do not have to worry about travel and so we are fresh. It also motivates us to do better, and we are seeing the results.”
Mokoka went on to say “My best time in South Africa is 28:12 which I ran in Durban in this series in 2019. So I hope to do better than that. It is a great honour for me to be invited to the Series again, especially after having just run a marathon. I am a marathon runner and to be able to test myself against the 10km runners is always a great privilege. I will be very happy if I can equal or even better my best 10km run on South African soil. I know the route’s in Gqeberha are always fast, so I am looking forward to racing there on 02 April.”
EVENT INFORMATION: 2023 Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES
1. Sunday 02 April 2023 | Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K |
Start & Finish Venue: Kings Beach Precinct | |
Start Time: 07:00 | |
Entry Fee: 1. Standard Entry: Licenced Runners R240.00 Temp Licence: R20.00 Standard Entry Includes: · Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series Event Performance T-shirt · Absa Drawstring Bag · Absa Peak Cap · Absa Socks · DHL Water Bottle · Race Number with Timing Chip · Sponsor Route Entertainment Points · Lively Route Entertainment Points · 2 x Refreshment Stations on Route · Tog Bag Drop and Collect Service · Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series Finisher’s Medal | |
2· Gold Package: R1200.00 Gold Package Includes: · Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series Event Performance T-shirt · Absa Drawstring Bag · Absa Peak Cap · Absa Socks · DHL Water Bottle · Exclusive Gold Package Gifts · Race Number with Timing Chip · Access to Pre-race VIP Area (incl. refreshments) · Preferential Start Seeding · Sponsor Route Entertainment Points · Lively Route Entertainment Points · 2 x Refreshment Stations on Route · Tog Bag Drop and Collect Service · Access to Post-race VIP Area (incl. refreshments, massage, ablution facilities) · Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series Finisher’s Medal | |
2. Sunday 14 May 2023 | Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K |
3. Sunday 09 July 2023 | Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K |
4. Sunday 27 August 2023 | Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K |
5. Sunday 24 September 2023 | Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K |
CHARITY SUPPORT: The Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K proudly supports two local charities: the Reach For A Dream Gqeberha and Garden Region and the Animal Anti-Cruelty League Port Elizabeth/Gqeberha. When entering the event online runners are urged to show their support by donating to either or both worthy causes.
WIN A CHERY TIGGO 4 PRO URBAN VEHICLE: One lucky entrant will go home with a stylish Chery Tiggo 4 Pro Urban Vehicle valued at over R289 000.00 compliments of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series and event partners Chery South Africa and Absa Vehicle and Asset Finance. To be in the running to win this fantastic prize the following three boxes need to be ticked: you need to enter the event (and pay the entry fee), collect your race number (during the stipulated race pack collection times) and be on the start line on event day.
PRIZE PURSE: The Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series boasts an impressive, combined Prize Purse of R 1 560 000.00 in 2023. Each of the five events will be assigned R312 000.00 in prize money of which R252 000.00 will be allocated towards the Open Category (R126 000.00 going to Top 10 Open Men’s and R126 000.00 to Top 10 Open Women’s), and R60 000 towards Age Categories (Junior, 40 – 49, 50 – 59, 60 – 69 and 70+ Age Categories). To view the prize purse breakdown please visit https://runyourcityseries.com/
Facebook: @Gqeberha10k / @CapeTown10k / @Durban10k / @Tshwane10k / @Joburg10k
Instagram: @Gqeberha10k / @CapeTown10k / @Durban10k / @Tshwane10k / @Joburg10k
Hashtag: #RunYourCity #AbsaRunYourCity
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/