NATIONAL NEWS - Veteran South African distance runner Elroy Gelant has set his sights on running a maiden sub-28-minute clocking at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K on Sunday 7 April.
“My goal for the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K will be to run a sub-28. I’m looking forward to it.
"All of my training paces are set for a sub-28. It will depend on the body and how it responds on the day, but I would really love to run a PB and better my time of 28:04,” said Gelant.
The two-time Olympian is rightly confident after producing 2:08:56 at the Sevilla Marathon last month to come within 46 seconds of automatic qualification for what would be a third consecutive Olympic appearance.
Gelant says his 42km performance has laid a good base for the year ahead.
“I’m really looking forward to this year,” he admits. “I started off my season with a marathon PB. That lay a foundation for me going forward in 2024 because it showed me that I can achieve what I put my mind to. I’m looking forward to a positive year”.
It is a bold target for a man who at 37 years of age is entering the twilight of his career.
But after a fabulous 2023 season that saw him set new personal bests over 10km and the half marathon (1:00:56), Gelant is feeling confident, particularly with the confirmation that several 27-minute performers such as Precious Mashele, Thabang Mosiako, and Kabelo Mulaudzi will run the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K.
“My performance over the last six months is just a blessing,” states Gelant. “To have run three PBs, especially at this age, is a blessing. I think we have a few phenomenal athletes that can pull me to that sub-28. It’s going to be a fantastic race with an adapted route, so we are looking forward to some fast times.”
One of those phenomenal athletes to whom Gelant alludes is Kenya’s Maxon Kipngetich. The 10 000m athlete leads the East African charge in his first official road race. After his compatriot Daniel Ebenyo won last year’s inaugural race in 27:21, Kipngetich says he would love to follow in the fast footsteps of his more illustrious countryman.
“It is a good race,” says Kipngetich. “I’ve seen people like Ebenyo run and it opened their careers. I want the same. I want to expand my career to run from 5km to 21km in the near future. I want to expand my range starting here with the 10km. I’m aiming to set a good start in the Absa race. 27:50 - 27:59 will be a good start for me.”
"Elroy Gelant and Maxon Kipngetich bring a wealth of experience and talent to the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K," says Michael Meyer, managing director of Stillwater Sports and series founder.
"Their presence not only raises the level of competition but also adds a layer of excitement and prestige to the event, highlighting its growing reputation as a top-tier road race. We're also thrilled to witness Maxon's debut in the series and look forward to celebrating his milestone in Gqeberha."
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