How one local athlete is a three time SA champion

SA 1500m champion, Nkosinathi Sibiya aims to boost his endurance at the Absa Run Your City Joburg 10K.

September 20, 2023

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Nkosinathi Sibiya in action during the inaugural Absa Run Your City Tshwane 10K at the end of August 2023. Photo: Action Photo

Sophiatown’s Nkosinathi Sibiya, the country’s three-time SA champion in the 1 500m, has cast his eye on the fifth and final Absa Run Your City Series race in 2023.
This will be the Absa Run Your City Joburg 10K that will take place on September 24.

Renowned for his tactical acumen, the Puma athlete has a devastating kick in the final stages of the three-quarter mile race which earned him the national title in the 1 500m in 2018, 2021 and 2022.

With a best time of 3:37.93 in the 1 500m and 14:24 in the 5 000m, Sibiya knows how to turn it on. But he is no slouch away from the track either, his 28:48 personal best in the 10km Durban leg of the series in July, is a testament to his versatility.

“I took part in the Absa Run Your City Durban 10K to check and improve my overall endurance, while preparing for a new personal best in the 10km,” confirmed Sibiya. “The race went well, and I accomplished my targets. I then entered the Absa Run Your City Tshwane 10K as part of my training.”

Now the 29-year-old has set his sights on the final leg of the series in Johannesburg. Sibiya will be no stranger to the streets of the City of Gold as he is based there and spends much of his time training around the hilly streets of Auckland Park close to the UJ campus, which he has represented for the past few years.

“I am excited to be competing in the last event of the series,” he admitted. “It’s a great series to compete in. You get exposure, the atmosphere is amazing, and the vibe is unbeatable. The series is tough and really pushes the boundaries.”

Sibiya has only hit the roads on four occasions in his career, all over 10km and his improvement has been steady. From a 31:09 debut in 2018, Sibiya has chipped away at his time, going 30:00 in 2019, 29:10 at the Absa Run Your City Durban 10K in 2022, to his personal best of 28:48 in Durban this year.

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