Course records for Xaba and Mofolo in Absa Run Your City Tshwane 10K

Local 10km sensation Glenrose Xaba delivered a career-defining performance on Sunday at the Absa Run Your City Tshwane 10K, blazing through the course in a remarkable 31:51.

This marks the star athlete of Pretoria’s third sub-32-minute finish this year, solidifying her status as one of the country’s best elite women of all times.

The 29-year-old, who set a new SA 10km record of 31:12 when she took fourth place at last month’s Absa Run Your City Durban 10K, lived up to her pre-race favourite tag as she surged away from Neheng Khathala at the 7km mark to a memorable victory that was the fastest by a South African woman at altitude.

“I’m very happy about today’s win. I have faced so many ups and downs throughout my career, but I have managed to rise above it all. This year, God has blessed me so much and I’m very thankful for that,” explained Xaba.

For running the second fastest 10km time of her life, the Boxer Athletics Club top runner was rewarded with a new course record which is a 23 second improvement on the mark set by the 2023 champion, Debash Desta of Ethiopia.

Lesotho’s Blandina Makatisi was good value for her second-place finish (32:58) two weeks after completing the Olympic Marathon, while her countrywoman Khathala earned the last podium position in 33:35.

Having won the 5000m, 10 000m, 10km and 21km titles this year, Xaba says today’s victory is a testament to the hard work and dedication she has put into her training.

“I always pray and I’m grateful with what I have achieved so far. So, to win one of the Absa races is a dream come true. I think it’s because I focus a lot. I don’t skip training even when I’m tired. I just go easy and get the recovery all the time. I’m glad that I have a good system (Power2Health) that supports me and keeps me very well to stay injury free,” Xaba said after the race.

The men’s race also saw a new course record as Lesotho’s Kamohelo Mofolo stopped the clock in 28:40 to win the race on debut and shatter the course record of 29:12 set by Kabelo Mulaudzi last year.

Mofolo clawed back a nine second deficit held by early leader Gideon Kipgnetich of Kenya who followed him home two seconds later with the defending champion Mulaudzi finishing third in 28:52. In what was his first major triumph on South African soil, the Maxed Elite runner who took tenth place at the Absa Run Your City Durban 10K in a personal best 28:33 said his challenging training routes in The Mountain Kingdom prepared him for victory.

“The course worked in my favour because I train on hilly routes in Lesotho. So, my body is used to going up and down which is why I could run well. I didn’t struggle at all,” Mofolo commented.

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