Kenyan athletes Doreen Cherop and Salem Kibet won the women’s and men’s races, respectively, at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Tshwane 10K on Sunday, August 23, with Cherop securing her second consecutive victory in the series.
Cherop clocked 31:35 to finish three seconds ahead of South African Glenrose Xaba, while another Kenyan, Deborah Chemutai, completed the women’s podium in 31:59.
Kibet won the men’s race in 28:45, finishing 10 seconds ahead of Zenzile Pheko of Boxer Athletic Club. Chris Mhlanga finished third, one second behind his teammate.
Kenyan Absa Run Winners Reflect Victory
Kibet narrowly missed the course record of 28:40 held by Kamohelo Mofolo. He said the record had been part of his target but acknowledged that he would prepare differently for another attempt.
“The course record was in my mind, but I’ve lost it. But I think next time I’ll prepare for it because I’ve seen the ground the way it is and next time when I come, I will manage it.”
Kibet also pointed to the weather conditions, saying he had trained in much colder conditions before competing in the warm Highveld climate. He nevertheless said he was pleased with the victory.
“I’ve been preparing for this race for almost a month. My preparation made me perform this way. The course was hard, but I’m happy I managed to win.”
Cherop said she adjusted her strategy after assessing Xaba’s strength during the race and made her decisive move in the final kilometer.
“I am happy with my performance. It was a great race. I pushed in the first half and realized that Glenrose was strong. So, I made my move in the last kilometer, and when she didn’t respond, I pushed even harder.”
Cherop also praised the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series for providing athletes with opportunities to compete in quality races across the continent. “We will keep coming if the organises keep organising such beautiful races because this event was well organised.”
Prize Winners Expect from Absa RUN YOUR CITY
Doreen Cherop, who won the women’s race, is set to receive KSh 266,475 in gross prize money, based on the stated first-place prize of R33,000 and the exchange rate of KSh8.075 per rand.
Salem Kibet, who won the men’s race, is also set to earn KSh 266,475 in gross prize money for his first-place finish.
Deborah Chemutai, who finished third in the women’s race in 31:59, is set to receive KSh 169,575 in gross prize money based on the stated R21,000 third-place award.
The three Kenyan athletes therefore earned a combined KSh 702,525 in gross prize money from their respective podium finishes.
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Additionally, all registered participants in the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Tshwane 10K receive a finisher’s medal after completing the race.
Participants also receive a race pack containing a performance T-shirt, drawstring bag, peak cap, socks and a race number fitted with a timing chip.
The race experience also includes route entertainment, refreshment stations and a tog-bag service for participants.
Runners who selected the transport option also receive a preloaded Gautrain card and access to shuttle buses.
About Absa RUN YOUR CITY
Absa RUN YOUR CITY is a 10km road-running series in South Africa sponsored by Absa Bank and organised by Stillwater Sports.
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The series combines elite 10km road racing with mass participation, with races held in major South African cities.
Each event is branded as Absa RUN YOUR CITY [City] 10K, with the 2026 calendar featuring races in Gqeberha, Cape Town, Durban, Tshwane, Johannesburg and Mangaung.
The 2026 series opened in Gqeberha on March 1, followed by the Cape Town race on May 10 and the Durban leg on July 12.
The Tshwane 10K was held on August 23, with Kenyan athletes Doreen Cherop and Salem Kibet winning the women’s and men’s races respectively. The series will continue with the Joburg 10K on September 24, before concluding with the inaugural Mangaung 10K on October 25, 2026.
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. PHOTO/SABC News
