Road running legend Blanche Moila says the middle and long distance running in South Africa is healthy. The first black woman to receive Springbok colours for cross country believes that the event is growing in the country and more young women and girls should be encouraged to take part. Over the recent years a number of women, such as Glenrose Xaba, Tayla Kavanagh and Karabo More, have been making a mark in the event. Moila has stressed the importance of encouraging young gi

Comrades Marathon Board member and seasoned sports administrator Brenda Marolen has responded to the call made by some of the South Africans for the CMA to officially honour the race’s oldest finisher. Now 84 years old, ntate Johannes Mosehla made history by completing the 2023 edition of The Ultimate Human race in 9:26:10 at 81 years old, to eclipse the record set by the great Wally Hayward who finished the race in under 11 hours back in 1989. Marolen says they can only act

Mpho Katiso will be one of the exciting young athletes to watch at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K on Sunday, 23 August 2026, as South Africa's next wave of female distance runners looks to step into the spotlight. With the likes of Glenrose Xaba and Tayla Kavanagh increasingly making their mark internationally, Katiso is determined to seize her opportunity. The 19-year-old 1500m specialist who completed her schooling at Prestige College in the nation’s capital last year,

Having never claimed top honours despite a number of top ten and podium finishes, Neheng Khatala celebrated her maiden victory at the Totalsports Women's Race in Durban yesterday. Lesotho's fastest 10km female athlete of all time produced an eye-catching 32:06 to dispatch a quality field including former Two Oceans Half Marathon champion Emma Pallant-Browne who took second in 32:45 and Kenya's Fridah Ndinda who rounded out the podium in 33:15. “I’m so excited to be part of th

The Fortress Running Series received glowing praise from elite runners Gladwin Mzazi and Cornelia Joubert after the pair claimed the men's and women's half-marathon titles at the Fortress Evaton Run on Sunday 2 August, describing the initiative as a major boost for athletics development in South Africa's rural areas and townships. Representing Boxer Athletics Club, Mzazi produced a calculated performance to surge from behind and claim victory in 1:10:30, while Joubert led fro

Glenrose Xaba believes she will be able to defend her Spar Grand Prix title. The Boxer Athletics runner secured her first win of the Spar Women’s Challenge in Tshwane this year, beating Ethiopia’s Selam Gebre and Kayla Jacobs. The Supercharger won the race in 32:28 to beat the course record set by Namibia’s Helalia Johannes in 2019 by one second. Gebre who was with Xaba until the 6km mark crossed the finish line in 34:10, while Jacobs clocked 34:21 for her second SPAR podium

After a number of medal hopefuls including Gift Leotlela (Men’s 100m), Marione Fourie (Women’s 100m Hurdles) and Aiden Smith (Men’s shot-put) finished in fourth place, it looked like South Africa’s track and field team might return from the Commonwealth Games whit an individual medal. But just two days before the end of the competition in Glasgow, Scotland, Team SA had reason to celebrate when Sinesipho Dambile produced a memorable performance to win the men’s 200m gold medal

Set against the backdrop of economic hardship and unemployment, organisers of the 2026 Fortress Evaton Run have described the event which takes place at the Evaton Plaza as inspiring for its commitment to taking the sport of athletics to the people. Backed by Fortress Real Estate Investments, which owns 41 convenience and commuter-oriented retail shopping centres across South Africa, the Fortress Running Series continues on its drive to bring well- organised road running even

The Free State is set to join South Africa's premier road running calendar as Absa and Stillwater Sports officially announce the launch of the inaugural Absa RUN YOUR CITY MANGAUNG 10K. Taking place on Sunday, 25 October 2026, the expansion marks a significant milestone for the award-winning series as it extends its reach to a sixth host city. Made possible through a partnership with the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality and the Department of Economic Development and Tourism

Organisers of the Fortress Running Series have hailed the inaugural edition of the Fortress Vryheid Run as a resounding success after over 300 runners braved the cold conditions yesterday morning (25 July) to take part in the very first Fortress sponsored event to be hosted in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Hundreds of runners hit the streets of Vryheid for the inaugural Fortress Vryheid Run. Photo Credit: Fortress Running Series. "I'm happy with what I saw today," said serie

Organisers of the Prince Mangosuthu Ultra 52km have assured the running community that the 2026 edition of the popular race will go ahead on the 16th of August. Questions had been raised when the event which has been won by the likes of Onalenna Khonkhobe, Nkosikhona Mhlakwana and Ntsindiso Mphakathi did not take place as planned in April. Speaking to the media at yesterday’s (22 July) launch at the Phindangene Royal Palace, the home of late Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) founde

As the Fortress Running Series prepares to expand its footprint by staging it’s very first event in the KwaZulu-Natal town of Vryheid on July 25, renowned local coach Sabelo Ndlovu is pleased, citing it as a positive step forward for athletics in the Zululand District, where a lack of events has been a pressing concern. "I'm glad there is an event like this taking place in our area,” he told #TheTopRunner. “It comes as a huge relief to local athletes who will now be exposed t

In an effort to provide local children with a productive outlet during the school holidays, athletics coach Xolani Mabhida established a training camp in the Howick township of Siphumelele, KwaZulu-Natal Province. The camp, designed for children between the ages of 6 and 13 years old, drew significant interest with approximately 30 youngsters taking part during the winter vacation. Mabhida, whose coaching credentials include guiding three-time Comrades Marathon champion Bongm

Limpopo Athletics (LIMA) Athletes’ Commission Chairperson Phateng Kgomo has hit back at suggestions that race entry fees in the province are becoming too expensive for ordinary runners. In recent months, many of the province's social runners have raised their concerns about the sharp increase in race entry fees since 2022. Speaking to #TheTopRunner, Kgomo defended race organisers saying people must understand that everything costs money. "We've got the Mapungubwe 4-in-1 marat

After announcing herself as one of South Africa's brightest young sprint prospects with a dominant display at the ASA U16, U18, U20 & U23 Track and Field Championships in Germiston in March, Sarah Reed is preparing for the biggest race of her career. The multiple national champion will head to the World Athletics U20 Championships in the United States next month, where she hopes to test herself against the world's best junior sprinters while continuing a journey that has been

Following what has been described as the most shocking and disgraceful conduct by a sitting KwaZulu-Natal Athletics board member, the KZNA board has suspended president Steve Mkasi pending the outcome of a disciplinary process. This comes after Mkasi was caught on a video engaged in a street fight with an athlete who is attached to the AmaRavens Athletics Club, the organizing club of the Best of the Best Marathon. "KwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA) wishes to inform all affiliat

Lining up alongside 3000m steeplechase World Record holder Beatrice Chepkoech and 29:25 10km runner Brenda Jepchirchir, SA 5000m champion Tayla Kavanagh and Lesotho 10km national record holder Neheng Khatala, Zanele Maisa wouldn’t have been given much chance of making an impact on yesterday’s (12 July) Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K. But the Waterfall Athletic Club top runner delivered her best 10km performance yet when she clocked 34:21 to smash her personal best by a whoppin

Joshua Cheptegei delivered one of the best performances ever seen on African soil when he won the Absa RUN YOUR DURBAN 10K in 27:19. Returning to the race where he set at the SA All Comers record of 27:16 in 2018, the Ugandan superstar took control of the race from the gun passing the halfway mark in 13:48 before surging away from the field to cross the finish line in the fastest time run on African soil this year. "The race was really good. I enjoyed running here in Durban,"

As multiple world record holder Joshua Cheptegei prepares to participate in the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K on Sunday, 12 July 2026 alongside a world class field of athletes, the stage is set for the greatest 10km race on African soil where the men will target the first sub 27 minute 10km on the continent and the women aim to produce the first 29 minute clocking in an African 10km race. Cheptegei returns to the country after an eight-year absence, following his record-brea

After some encouraging recent performances which included grabbing the silver medal at the SA 10km championships last November, Musawenkosi Mnisi is being touted as a future South African long distance running star. At just 20 years old, Mnisi has already produced some eye-catching performances, particularly in distances ranging from 3,000m on the track to 10km on the road. Under the mentorship of Caster and Violet Semenya, the Boxer Athletic Club ace is in the middle of a b