Kabelo Mulaudzi learnt the hard way last month. At the Absa Run Your City Tshwane 10K, the Boxer Athletic Club athlete found himself having to be content with the last spot on the podium after underestimating an unknown opponent.
Kenyan Gideo Kipnetich made his debut in the series and led from the gun only to be overtaken by Maxed Elite’s Kamohelo Mofolo with a kilometre to go and had to settle for the runner-up berth.
“He is a very tough guy and I respect him a lot. He is dangerous because he is a strong front runner and he can get away from you without giving you a chance to close the gap,” Mulaudz reflected.
Armed with that knowledge, Mulaudzi will line up for the final race of the popular five-race series on Heritage Day knowing not to let Kipnetich out of his sights.
“My goal is to finish the Absa Run Your City Series on a high note. That means I am targeting a podium finish again and perhaps if I can be in the mix with a kilometer to go, I can sneak a win from Gideon and the other runners,” sad the man who was a runner up at the Absa Run Your City Durban 10K.
He will not be lacking in confidence having been crowned SA 10km Cross Country champion recently.
Among the other runners he will be looking to sneak a win from is the irrepressible Elroy Gelant who has had a magnificent season. The Boxer athlete finished fourth in Tshwane and could make history by becoming the first athlete to achieve five consecutive Absa Run Your City Series top ten finishes in a single calendar year.
A super performance in the city of gold will be a great ending to a year in which the man from Pacaltsdorp near George was crowned South African marathon champion and then went on to finish a creditable 11th at the Olympics marathon in Paris.
“After the Olympics, my initial plan was to relax and recover, but I found my competitive spirit hard to resist, which is why I am still motivated to participate in the remainder of the Absa Run Your City Series. For the Absa Run Your City Joburg 10K, I want to give my best, so my coach and I included some speed track workouts to stay sharp, especially after the Olympic Marathon,” Gelant explained.
It makes for a fascinating race, not only between the three but you can bet Mofolo will also be keen to show that his victory in Tshwane was no fluke. The man from Lesotho is understandably good at altitude for he struggled to make the podium in the coastal races.
In the women’s race, the on-form Glenrose Xaba who won in Tshwane will be the one to beat,
“We’re thrilled to have such a stellar line-up for the Absa Run Your City Joburg 10K, with top athletes like Elroy, Kabelo, Gideon, and Glenrose all in the mix. The competition is sure to be fierce, and it promises to be a truly exciting race. There’s no better way to close off what has been a fantastic 2024 series, especially on National Heritage Day,” Series founder and Managing Director of Stillwater Sports Michael Meyer said.
IOL Sport