Dibaba to run Absa RYC Cape Town 10k as Daniel Ebenyo arrives to defend his title
Like a soldier readying himself for battle, Daniel Simui Ebenyo was a picture of focus when he walked into the SunSquare hotel in the City Bowl for this weekend's Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10k. A man of few words, the Kenyan is the favourite to win tomorrow's race following a good start to the year that saw him run 26:58 for 10km in January in Valencia. Asked about the secret to his running success, the man who the race when it was a 12km last year says there is no secret - it's all about hard work.
"If you're prepared to face an enemy you have to be prepared well. The one thing I always say is that hard work is the mother of all success. Work hard in silence and let your results make noise. That is my number one rule. I train hard and let my results make noise," said Ebenyo during a live online broadcast yesterday as South African 10km record holder (27:38) Stephen Mokoka nodded his head in agreement.
Having represented Kenya in the 5000m at #Tokyo2021 the 26-year-old who calls South Africa his second home was still largely unknown when he came to race in The Mother City last November. But because his brave solo run into the wind to win by 42 seconds was broadcast live on SuperSport it endeared him to the South African public. Now that the race has been shortened to a 10km event, the man who finished in fourth place in the 3000m at the World Indoor Championships in March says he will use the Absa RYC as a stepping stone to doing well at the major championships coming up in a few weeks' time.
"Coming to Absa 10k, it's a huge honour and I thank the people of South Africa for inviting me especially the race organiser. I have been running on the track for most of the time this year because I am preparing for the World Championships (in Oregon in July). That is my target this year. After the Absa RUN YOUR CITY I will go back to the drawing board with my manager Leroy Newton and see what's next after this," he explained.
Having run 13:14.51 to finish third at last weekend's the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi last weekend, Ebenyo is comes into the race in good form. And in the absence of SA 5000m, 10km and 21km champion Precious Mashele who misses out due to illness it will be tough work for the other Kenyans and South Africans in the field to challenge Ebenyo.
In the women's race, organisers broke the internet yesterday with the announcement that 4-time world record holder Genzebe Dibaba will be running. Known as a track and indoor specialist the 31-year old who has won a host of major championship medals runs on the track and in cross country, will run her first official 10km in what some believe is a shift to road running. Dibaba has arrived in Cape Town and with a 1:05:18 half marathon personal best, her performance tomorrow is the subject of much anticipation.
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