'I want to run sub 28 again' - Mashele ready to tackle Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K

Having set two 10km personal bests during the last three weeks (one on the road and the other on the track), Precious Mashele will be the man to watch for the second instalment of the 2023 Absa RUN YOUR CITY series. The Puma ambassador has confirmed his participation in the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K on Sunday 14 May and says he is ready.

"The preparations went well and I'm ready," said the man who broke Stephen Mokoka's seven-year-old SA 10km record by two seconds when he ran 27:35 during the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K. "I think I've recovered from Gqberha so I'm ready for the race. The SA record showed me that I can run sub 28."

SA’S newly crowned 10km Record Holder, Precious Mashele with a time of 27:35 set barely a month ago at the inaugural Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K, will line up as the race favourite at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K on Sunday 14 May. Photo Credit: Tobias Ginsberg.

On the 2nd of April in Gqeberha, the Boxer Athletic Club top runner took second place behind Daniel Simiu Ebenyo. Mashele had been twenty seconds behind the Kenyan at halfway, yet managed to close that gap to fourteen seconds by the time he crossed the finish line. It means that in Ebenyo's absence, the man who set a new 10 000m personal best of 27:50.43 at the Cape Milers/Enduracad Invitational on Monday night has been elevated to the status of favourite and will be expected to beat the East Africans.

"I just want to run sub 28 again and maintain my consistency. I don't feel any pressure because I had been expecting to run 27 minutes for a long time because I have been working hard. I finished the race strong close to Ebenyo so that showed me that I can even break 27:30 if the conditions are right. The approach in the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K will be to run with the East Africans and finish on the podium or even win the race if possible."

Mashele on the way to a new 10 000m personal best at the Cape Milers/Endurocad Invitational on Monday. His 27:50.43 moved him up to seventh on the SA All-Time list. Photo Credit: Gallo Images.

Joining the new SA Record Holder is Elroy Gelant, the SA 5000m Record Holder. “I’m excited about Cape Town and about what Precious did. It proves we can compete with the best. The great thing about the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series is that we get to race against the best on home soil, which makes it a lot easier for us as we do not need to travel long distances. For myself, I am looking to improve on the run that I had in Gqeberha (11th – 28:26 his second best-ever performance over 10km) and even bettering my PB (28:18)," said Gelant.

Both athletes are long-time supporters of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series and ascribe much of their success to being able to compete annually in the series. "Since its inception in Cape Town in 2015, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series has provided SA athletes with the opportunity to compete against the World’s Best in World Class events on home soil. These athletes are now beginning to reap the rewards," explained Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and Founder of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series. "Precious’ SA Record and Personal Best in Gqeberha was a victory for South Africa and for the sport as a whole. We are proud to provide the next opportunity in Cape Town come Sunday 14 May,"