'It's part of growth' - Track star Nkosinathi Sibiya on his decision to start racing 10km

Known more for his performances on the track, Nkosinathi Sibiya is beginning to make strides as a road runner. That is because the three-time SA 1500m champion recently joined the ranks of elite 10km runners when he dipped under 29 minutes for the first time when he took thirteenth place at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10k in July. The 29-year-old says his foray into road running is part of the next phase of his athletic career.

“I took part in the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K to check and improve my overall endurance, while preparing for a new personal best in the 10km. The race went well, and I accomplished my targets. I think it’s part of growth and that’s why I’ve decided to start running 10km races,” he told #TheTopRunner after his top twenty finish at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10k last month which came just six weeks after that 28:43 lifetime best eThekwini.

Discovered as a 13-year-old schoolboy in KwaZulu-Natal, Sibiya benefited from being coached by one of South Africa’s most renowned coaches - Michael Seme. During Seme’s time at the now defunct KwaZulu-Natal Athletics Academy in Newcastle, Sibiya was one of the shining stars drawn from the Newcastle township of Osizweni. What he learnt from the man affectionately known as ‘Bra Sponge’ he now puts into a practice as a partially self-coached athlete, particularly as he moves towards the road.

Now the University of Johannesburg top runner has set his sights on the final leg of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY series in Joburg on the 24th of September. "I am excited to be competing in the last event of the series. It’s a great series to compete in. You get exposure, the atmosphere is amazing, and the vibe is unbeatable. The series is tough and really pushes the boundaries."

The man who set a 3:58.87 one mile PB in April will have to make a quick recovery after racing the 4km event at the ASA National Cross Country Championships this Saturday, just a week before taking on the likes of Kabelo Mulaudzi through the streets of Jozi on Heritage Day. Sibiya says it’s all part of his plan - a plan that fits in with the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series’ greater vision of providing a world class platform for local runners in particular to launch their 10km running careers to a global audience.

"We love having Nkosinathi Sibiya compete in the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series," says Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and Founder of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series. "The series is a fun way for athletes to enhance endurance, while elevating performance. The Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series presents an exciting challenge that will undoubtedly benefit the overall athletic capabilities of all athletes. We would like to invite all SA Elites, irrespective of the discipline that they specialize in, to follow Nkosinathi’s lead and join us at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K on National Heritage Day. Get ready to #RunYourCity."