Christina Silale of Boksburg Athletic Club (BAC) and Benoni Northerns Athletic Club’s (BNAC) Thuli Mbatha led the local charge at the Absa Run Your City Joburg 10k at Mary Fitzgerald Square in Johannesburg on September 24.

Silale clocked 41:25 to finish second in the elite master women’s (50–59) race, while Mbatha finished third in the same category in a time of 43:45. The pair finished behind overall category winner, Charne Bosman, who crossed the line in 40:44.

Darren Zabielski of Northerns clocked 39:45 in the elite veteran men’s race to finish 20th in a category won by Phantane AC’s Tumelo Motlagale, who won the Johnson Crane Marathon earlier this year. Motlagale clocked 29:17, finishing ninth overall.

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Zane Mostert, also of Northerns, was eighth in 43:39 in the elite junior men’s race, while Kai Hattingh continued her journey back to fitness with a spirited seventh position in the elite junior women’s event.

Kabelo Sefali from Kingsway was 32nd in the elite open men’s race in 33:59.

Sefali’s namesake, Kabelo Mulaudzi, ran to his first victory in the series this year. The Boxer AC top runner clocked 28:48, after surging past race leader Dolphine Chelimo of Uganda in the last 3km to successfully defend the title he won last year.

Zenzile Pheko held off a charging Stephen Ngigi Kangethe on the finishing straight for back-to-back runner-up spots after his second place at the Absa Run Your City Tshwane 10k on August 23.

Deborah Chemutai led a Kenyan podium sweep in the women’s race, winning in 32:50. Mercy Jelimo clocked 33:10 for second place, while Esther Borura completed the podium in 33:27.

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