Excited about the future of the sport in South Africa, South African road running legend Stephen Mokoka is dreaming of running a sub-28-minute 10km on South African soil as he prepares for the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K that will take place this coming Sunday 14 May 2023.
“It’s exciting to see Precious (Mashele) with the new SA Record (27:35), Maxi (Maxime Chaumeton – 27:58) and Thabang (Mosiako – 27:52) running fast and they did it on home soil. This shows that the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series is bearing fruit. Now it’s my dream and wish to also run a sub 28 here in South Africa. I did it overseas (27:38, Manchester 2015 – the then SA Record), so now I also want to do it here at home.”
Mokoka has for a long time been the flag bearer of South African road running, setting records in the 10km and Half Marathon and being competitive on the international circuit. For the 38-year-old, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series has played an integral role since its inception in 2015. Most recently he came within a whisker of also setting a new SA Record in the Marathon when he ran 2:06.42 in Osaka in February this year.
Mokoka has now set his sights on the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K. With an average time of 28:12.30 for 10km on the road, Mokoka is one of the most consistent athletes on the circuit and will once again be lining up as one of the favourites come race day. “My training is going well. This year is a good year for me. Last year I was running with an injury, but this year I am injury free and am excited for what is to come. I am looking forward to Cape Town. You always know it will be a good race.”
Toeing the line with Mokoka, Mashele, Gelant and Denis Kipngetich (Kenya) who are already confirmed, is Gqeberha’s Melikhaya Frans. The 33-year-old has been in solid form since 2021, setting Personal Bests in the 5000m (14:01.86), 10km (28:16), 15km (44:29), in the Half Marathon (61:03) and twice in the Marathon (2:11.27 and 2:09.24). A hard racer, he will be sure to keep the pace on race day.
The 2023 Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K will feature an exceptionally strong Elite Women’s Field with the likes of Uganda’s Prisca Chesang, who boasts a 10km personal best time of 30:19, South Africa’s Glenrose Xaba, Lesotho’s Neheng Khatala, Zimbabwe’s Fortunate Chidzivo and Kenya’s Veronica Loleo who will be ready to race come Sunday 14 May.
EVENT INFORMATION: Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K
| DATE: | Sunday, 14 May 2023 |
| START VENUE: | Woodbridge Island, Milnerton |
| FINISH VENUE: | Lower Long Street opposite Absa Building |
| START TIME: | 08:00 |
| ENTRY FEE: | 1. Standard Entry: Licenced Runners R240.00· Temp Licence: R40.00 Standard Entry Includes: · Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series Event Performance T-shirt · Absa Entrant Gifts (Peak Cap, Drawstring Bag, Socks & Shoelaces) · DHL Water Bottle · Race Number with Timing Chip · Sponsor Route Entertainment Points · Amazing Route Entertainment Points from Start to Finish · 2 x Refreshment Stations on Route · Tog Bag Drop and Collect Service · Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series Finisher’s Medal · Transport Service (to Start or from Finish) |
| 2. Gold Package: R1200.00 Gold Package Includes: · Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series Event Performance T-shirt · Absa Entrant Gifts · 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 · 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 · Transport Service (to Start or from Finish) |
CHARITY SUPPORT: Celebrating its 8th anniversary in 2023, when entering the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K runners (and walkers) can support one or all five of the event’s charities: Cape of Good Hope SPCA, Cotlands, help2read, Die Burger Kinderfonds and Reach For A Dream.
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: @CapeTown10k
Instagram: @CapeTown10k
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/
