After being officially added to the latest SA Olympic team, Elroy Gelant is enthusiastic about his third consecutive Olympic appearance, while Stephen Mokoka is proud to don the green and gold for the fourth time. However, both elite athletes will first focus their attention on the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K on Sunday, 7 July 2024, as part of their preparation for the marathon at #Paris2024.
“I’m looking forward to the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K. I understand the expectations at the event and am prepared for the challenge,” confirms Gelant.
The 37-year-old has been in the shape of his life in 2024 setting personal bests over the marathon (2:08:56) and 10km (27:54), while winning national titles over both the standard marathon and half marathon.
Inspired by Precious Mashele’s 27:35 national record at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K last year, Gelant produced a maiden sub-28-minute 10km at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K in May and has singled out the series as an important step in his own Olympic journey because it has helped to improve the standard of road running in South Africa.
Inclosing Gelant adds: “Our current generation of athletes are phenomenal. I think last year in Gqeberha was a good eye opener to show that we can dip under 28 minutes. And I think that there’s going to be one or two more that will be motivated by these performances to run that sub-28. This is good because ultimately that will improve our performances as long-distance athletes in South Africa.”
Gelant will line up alongside compatriot Stephen Mokoka when they take on the East Africans during the Olympic Marathon on 10 August. Mokoka says his plan is to use the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K as a fitness test before the big day in the French capital.
“The Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K is going to be a fitness checkup for me to see how my preparation has been going,” explains Mokoka. “It will be my final race before the Olympics. So, it’s part of the plan to make sure that I will be at my best. The Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series has the best 10km races in the country. It’s always exciting because of the quality of the field and the incentives that are there to motivate us to try and run faster. Sub 28 will be good, but I’ll take anything under 29 because at the end of the day I must save up some energy for the Olympics.”
"Having both Elroy Gelant and Stephen Mokoka on the start line of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K is truly inspiring," says Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and Founder of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series. "As they prepare for the Olympics, their participation highlights the prestige and competitive spirit of our event. Both athletes are exceptional representatives of South African running, and it's an honor to see them compete in Durban before they take on the world stage. We wish them the best of luck and are excited to witness their remarkable talent firsthand."
EVENT INFORMATION: 2024 Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series
EXCITING NEWS: In 2024, each of the five Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series events will showcase unique, city-specific medals, adding a personalized touch to the participant experience reflective of the host city's essence and character.
CHARITY SUPPORT: The Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series has welcomed the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) as the official charity of the entire series of events in 2024. 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.
WIN A CAR: All entrants of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K will have the exciting chance to win a brand-new Chery Tiggo 4 Pro LiT Vehicle valued from R279 000. To qualify for a chance to win this incredible prize, runners need to complete three simple steps: first, register for the event and pay the entry fee; second, collect your race number during the designated race pack collection times; and finally, ensure you're on the start line on event day.
PRIZE PURSE: The Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series will boast an impressive, combined Prize Purse of R 1,560,000.00 in 2024. Each of the five events will feature a total prize purse of R312,000. Within this allocation, R252,000 will be earmarked for the Open Category, with R126,000 dedicated to the Top 10 Open Men and R126,000 to the Top 10 Open Women. Additionally, R60,000 will be designated for Age Categories. The top male and female finishers in each city will be awarded R30,000 each, with R25,000 going to the second-place finishers and R20,000 to the third-place finishers. The Age Category Prize Purse will be distributed among the top three finishers in each of the Junior, 40 – 49, 50 – 59, 60 – 69, and 70+ Age Categories. To view the complete Prize Purse Breakdown visit: www.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/