Rutto promises upset as Mulaudzi, Mosiako, Mokoka and Gelant line up for Absa CAPE TOWN 10K

Asbel Kiprop Rutto (Kenya) has promised to deliver an electric performance as a quality field of elite athletes from around the African continent descend on 'The Mother City' for the 10th celebration of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K on Sunday, 11 May in Cape Town.

"I have been here since Monday to settle well and get ready for the race. This is the race where I first ran internationally and I ended up finishing fourth on the day," confirms Rutto who returns to the race where he launched his international career back in 2022 - finishing in a respectable fourth position in a then personal best time of 28:25. Improving his lifetime best to 27:55 when he took third at the 2023 Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K, the Kenyan top runner has gone on to an outstanding international career launched from the platform of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES. The 23-year-old who won the 2024 Rome Marathon in a new course record 2:06:24 says he is aiming to reign supreme comes race day.

(from left to right): Elite Male Athletes Kabelo Mulaudzi, Stephen Mokoka , Elroy Gelant, Asbel Rutto (Kenya) and Aklilu Asfaw (Ethiopia). Photo Credit: Shawn Benjamin

"Even though I am now a marathon runner, I still have speed. I have been inspired by Mokoka who set a 50km World Record but still comes to 10km to give us problems. My target here is to be able to run beyond my personal best time. I'm here to run fast and win the race," explains Rutto, who trains in Iten in Kenya and ran 2:11:37 to take fourth place at last month’s Vienna Marathon.

Challenging Rutto for top honours is Elroy Gelant who set a new South African Marathon record of 2:05:36 at the Hamburg Marathon on Freedom Day. Kabelo Mulaudzi with a 27:53 lifetime best will be aiming for another podium finish while South African road running legend Stephen Mokoka will be putting his speed to the test. 38-year-old Gelant who earned second in last year’s edition of the race with a 27:54 finish, says he is not going to run fast especially after becoming the first South African to break 2:06 in a marathon barely a fortnight ago.

(from left to right): Elite Female Athletes Lebo Phalula, Selam Gebre (Ethiopia), Glenrose Xaba and Neheng Khatala (Lesotho). Photo Credit: Shawn Benjamin.

"I'm going to take it easy on Sunday as you know I have just ran a marathon. To run 2:05 requires a lot of hard work. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to be competitive in the race. The most important thing is to approach the race in a good way and aim for a good day," said Gelant.

Jabulile Nsibanyoni, Absa’s Head of Sponsorships, says, "We are excited to kick-off the 10th annual Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K, as runners take their stories to the streets of the Mother City."