'It shows progress' - Mashele after new 21km PB as he looks ahead to Absa DURBAN 10K CITYRUN
Even though he didn't achieve his goal of winning the race, Precious Mashele is satisfied with his performance because it shows improvement. The reigning South African 21km champion finished fourth at the 13th PKO Poznan Half Marathon in Poland on Sunday in a new personal best time of 60:00. Although he admitted to being disappointed that he couldn't win the race, Mashele is encouraged by his new clocking.
"I'm happy with my new time of 60:00 because the guys I was racing against were also strong. I think it's an achievement because it shows progress," he told #TheTopRunner shortly after returning to Johannesburg. "So I'm happy that my training group under the guidance of coach Hendrick Ramaala is working well. It shows that the guys are working hard. I believe in this group and thank all the guys for their support," he said.
The five-time national cross country champion's run is all the more impressive when considered in light of his long journey to the Polish city of Poznan. "I left here on Thursday night and arrived in Poznan in the early hours of Saturday morning. I believe that if my travel hadn't been so long, I could have run better than I did because I was mentally ready to win the race," revealed the man whose performance leaves him just 34 seconds off Stephen Mokoka's national record and just one second away from becoming only the third South African after Mokoka and Ramaala, to break the hallowed one hour mark for the half marathon.
With the race behind him Mashele will now shift focus to the Absa DURBAN 10K CITYRUN on Sunday 31 October which also doubles as the SA 10km championships, while preparing for the ABSA Cape Town 12K CITYRUN on Sunday 21 November where he has also confirmed his participation.
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