"It gives us youngsters an opportunity to showcase our potential" - In-form Mnisi targets maiden sub 29 at Absa DURBAN 10K
- Thathe Msimango
- 26 minutes ago
- 3 min read
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.Â
Under the mentorship of Caster and Violet Semenya, the Boxer Athletic Club ace is in the middle of a breakout 2026 season which includes two gold medals at the Athletics South Africa (ASA) U23 Championships over 3,000m and 5,000m. He then went on to claim silver in the senior 5,000m event, where he pushed the experienced Jerry Motsau all the way to the finish line. For Mnisi, these outstanding performances this year are no surprise.
"I'm not surprised with the way I have been performing this year," he tells #TheTopRunner. "I expected to deliver such performances because towards the end of last year, the signs were there that I was coming into some great shape. I knew that I would perform at my level best in the U23’s but wasn't certain about the seniors. So to see things falling into place makes me happy," explains Mnisi who has set new personal best for 1500m (3:49.65), 3000m (8:00.55) and 5000m (13:36.42) since the start of the season.
Following his success on the track, Mnisi's next challenge is to replicate that form on the road. He recently achieved a new personal best time of 13:43, on his way to securing the silver medal at the national 5km championships which were incorporated into the Nelson Mandela Bay Half Marathon on 27 June. He believes this result was a crucial step in his preparation towards the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K on Sunday, 12 July.
"The preparations have been going according to plan. The race (Absa DURBAN 10K) has been a race which I targeted at the start of the year to do well in. I'm going there with confidence, especially after running well in Gqeberha recently. I think that performance (in Gqeberha) was important for me. I’ll need it, especially in the last 5km of the race in Durban. I'll need that speed in order to achieve my target," he shares.
As Olympic 10,000m Champion and multiple World Record holder Joshua Cheptegei prepares to headline what is being called the greatest 10km on African soil, Mnisi is looking forward to one of the biggest opportunities in his life. He believes that the race has been a catalyst for transformative change in the lives of many athletes in South Africa, providing them with unparalleled opportunities and life-altering experiences.
"I think Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series has been a game changer and the race has done so much for the South African athletes. Athletes no longer need to compete overseas in order to post fast times. It also gives us youngsters a platform to showcase our potential. We have seen how the lives of athletes like Kabelo Mulaudzi have changed through the race. Overall to line up with Cheptegei is an achievement alone. It's going to be a good learning experience," he says.
Now Mnisi who holds a 10km personal best time of 29 minutes flat is looking to dip under 29 for the first time in his career. "My target is to run under 29 minutes in Durban. I know it's possible looking at how I have prepared for the race. At the start of the year, I set that target and if I can achieve it then would be happy."