Following the recent announcement of Daniel Simiu Ebenyo (Kenya), one of the world’s leading male stars, the organisers of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series have announced the participation of two global female super stars: Stella Chesang and Mercyline Chelangat (both from Uganda) at the 7th annual Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K on Sunday 15 May 2022.
Chesang and Chelangat will return to South Africa after a very successful (and exciting) display of racing at the 2018 Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series.
“Having these two athletes back in SA to run in the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K is really exciting both for the event and the sport of road running in SA and Africa – they are two of the super stars of international road running!” said Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and founder of SA’s leading 10km road running series. “Our goal is to have the World’s best runners compete against SA’s best on home soil, and ensure the event is a truly international event. Having Stella and Mercyline run in the Cape Town event is enormously exciting!”
Chesang won the 2018 Commonwealth Games 10 000m title. Shortly after this victory, Chesang made her SA debut when she took on the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 12K. A surprising upset saw her being beaten by Jackline Chepngeno (Kenya) at this event. Chesang returned to South Africa in October that year, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series bug had clearly bitten, to smash a stellar field in the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K with a winning time of 31:14, smashing both the women’s course record and the Ugandan National 10km record, while coming within one second of the SA All Comers record. This was also a 30 second improvement on her personal best.
Picking up where she left off in 2018, in 2019 Chesang set personal bests in the 5000m (15:00.72), 10 000m (31:38.70) and over 12km (38:09 Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 12K). After a three-year hiatus due to the Covid Pandemic, and the birth of her son in April 2020, Chesang opened her 2022 campaign with a fast 35:18 in the brutal Agnes Tirop Cross Country Classic in Eldoret in February this year. Eldoret lies at an altitude of 2100m.
“It is good to be back racing. Covid hit us hard, and we have missed the running and racing scene,” said Chesang from her training base in Kapchorwa, Uganda. “I’m looking forward to returning to Cape Town for the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K. That was my first ever race in South Africa and I have fond memories of the race. I am wiser, fitter and stronger and expect to have a really good run on 15 May.”
Joining Chesang will be fellow Ugandan friend and rival, Mercyline Chelangat. The two have met on four occasions in races with the score even on two wins each. In 2017 Chelangat had the upper hand beating Chesang in the Uganda 1500m (3rd and 5th) trials and placing better at the World Cross Country Championships (12th and 18th). But Chesang found her form in 2018 winning the Commonwealth Games 10 000m title where Chelangat finished third. The pair met again in the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K later that year and again Chesang came up trumps, winning the race in 31:14 with Chelangat, the defending champion, second in 31:33.
Chelangat will be confident entering the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K after her win in the Poznan Polmaraton Half Marathon on 3 April where she clocked 69:24. The conditions which Chelangat faced in Poland where incredibly challenging. A strong head wind, cold temperatures and no pace makers left Chelangat with hard work to do on her own after she dropped the field after 15km. Until 18km she was on track for the course record, but the challenging conditions proved to be just too much in the final stages.
“I had a great run in Poland and know that I am close to my best shape. By May 15 I expect to be in the kind of shape that had me run my 31:33 PB over 10km and even better,” said Chelangat who ran her PB at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K when she finished second behind Chesang in 2018.
Leading the South African charge will be seven-time South African champion and fourth fastest South African ever over the half marathon distance, Glenrose Xaba. Now coached by Caster Semenya and running in the colours of Boxer Athletics Club, Xaba has unfinished business at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K. On four consecutive occasions, Xaba has won the SA 10 000m title. With her 60:26 half marathon PB, Xaba is more than capable of going faster than her 32:45 PB set at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K in 2019, and with the international field already lined up against her, this will be the perfect time for her to get close to, if not under the 32min barrier.
“With Stella (Chesang) and Mercyline (Chelangat) leading the attack and SA elites such as Glenrose Xaba ready to counter, SA’s road running community will be treated to world class racing on their doorstep, further cementing the event as Cape Town’s most prestigious road running event.”
EVENT INFORMATION: 2022 Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series
| 1. Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K | Date: Sunday 15 May 2022 |
| Entry Fee:
Standard (Licensed): R235.00 Gold Package (Licensed): R900.00 Temporary Licence: R40.00 |
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| Entries Opened: Tuesday 01 February 2022 | |
| Entries Close: Monday 09 May 2022 | |
| 2. Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K | Date: Sunday 10 July 2022 |
| Entries Open: Tuesday 08 March 2022 | |
| 3. Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K | Date: Saturday 24 September 2022 |
| Entries Open: Tuesday 05 April 2022 |
SA ELITE ATHLETE PROGRAMME: The Absa RYC Series has launched the 2022 SA Elite Athlete Programme aimed at providing South African runners with the opportunity to run world class times on South African soil. The programme is aimed at ensuring that the best South African athletes compete in the Absa RYC Series, against some of the best athletes in the world, and are rewarded for world class performances.
Read more here: https://runyourcityseries.com/latest-news/absa-run-your-city-series-launches-the-south-african-elite-athlete-programme/
PRIZE PURSE: The 2022 Absa RYC Series boasts a whopping combined prize purse to the value of R690 000. Athletes that form part of the SA Elite Athlete Programme and Contender Programme will also be eligible to win their share in the event prize purse at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K, Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K and Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K.
PLEASE NOTE: The event organisers will at all times adhere to Government Regulations regarding COVID-19.
Facebook: @CapeTown10k / @Durban10k / @Joburg10k
Instagram: @CapeTown10k / @Durban10k / @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 three unique events namely the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K (launched in 2015), the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K (launched in 2017) 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/