Potch Track Club dominates Thembisa Mile as Gelant wins 10km & Munnik takes star-studded mile

Having first grabbed the attention of the athletics loving public as a promising schoolboy athlete some ten years ago, Luan Munnik has spent 2024 delivering on his talent. After claiming fourth position at the Boxer Super Run 5km race in Durban a fortnight ago, the 24-year-old produced arguably the best performance of his senior career when he dispatched a star-studded field including the likes of Boikanyo Motlhamme, James Seeliger and Kabelo Mohlosi to win the elite men's race at the 12th edition of the Thembisa Mile. Munnik crossed the finish line in 4:03 as Abednico Choba took second (4:06) and Modupe Tladi third (4:07). But what makes his victory all the more impressive, is that it came just a day after he ran 29:32 to defend his 10km title at the Letsgo Potch Marathon.

Munnik celebrates his first victory as a senior man at the Thembisa Mile. Photo Credit: Tumi Kekana.

"I'm surprised the legs came with me because I had a big PB yesterday (26 October) in the 10k," he told #TheTopRunner. "Just after the race I sent Donald a message and asked him to enter the mile and he agreed. When the pace was a bit slow at 600m I just went. Winning this race means more to me than most because I started running this event when I was 14 or 15 years old. Thembisa never disappoints."

One of the first people to congratulate Munnik on his victory was his training partner Elroy Gelant who stayed to watch the age group and senior elite mile races after winning the 10km race which got the day's action at the Olifantsfontein Sports Grounds underway. Following a busy year during which he won national titles over 21km and 42km, while claiming 11th place in the Olympic Marathon and becoming the first man to earn five consecutive top five finishes in the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series, the 38-year-old admitted to feeling some fatigue but said he had to fight hard to win one of the only titles missing from his bulging trophy cabinet.

Gelant goes passed Mosiako to win a maiden Thembisa Mile 10km title. Photo Credit: Tumi Kekana.

"I had a few lows in the past few weeks in terms of my motivation, so I thought let me put on my headgear - the karate style! It motivated me to bring my fighting spirit. I've been running this Thembisa 10km for a while now and I've always been coming second so I told myself that I need to get a win here in Thembisa. The win was just special this morning."

Gelant stopped the clock in 29:35 after to fighting hard to overtake Thabang Mosiako with a mile to go. Mosiako hung on for the runner-up spot (29:56), while Chris Mhlanga continued his good 2024 form to grab third (30:11). In the women's race history was made as three Karabo's stood on top of the podium for the very first time in a senior women's 10km race anywhere in the country. Mailula was the victor (34:29), More second (35:02) and Motseoneng third (35:55). Mailula who trains with More and Motsoeneng, made sure that the trophy remains in the Caster and Violet Semenya training camp after their teammate Glenrose Xaba won last year's edition of the #RunningParty.

Training partners and namesakes sweep the podium in the women's 10km race. Photo Credit: Tumelo Mabua.

Like Mailula, Gelant also joins his Potch Track Club teammate Puseletso Mofokeng in the winner's circle after the latter emerged triumphant in 2023. Munnik, who also won his first race in the Ekhurhuleni township today, can now be counted alongside such illustrious former champions as World Championship bronze medalist Johan Cronje and Olympian and course record holder Ryan Mphahlele. A new name was also added to the winner's list in the women's race. Carina Viljoen underlined her excellent current form as she breasted the tape in 4:45 a full nine seconds ahead of defending champion Charne Swart (4:54), with former champion Simonay Weitsz taking third place (4:55).

With scores of juniors and top walkers taking part in the mile races from U10 to U19 and 2500 social runners and walkers tackling the 10km event, founder and vision bearer of the Thembisa Mile Donald Mathipa, hailed the 12th edition of Thembisa's premier road running event as its most successful to date. "I'm very happy with the turnout. All We are happy with the support of the running community and we're happy that for the first time in the history of the race we had a sold out event two days before race day. It all ogres well for the next event which will take place on October 2025."