'They all started where I am' - Karabo Ntholeng ready for Thembisa Mile 10km race

Vosloorus middle-distance sensation Karabo Ntholeng is fired up to make his mark when he lines up at the Central Gauteng Athletics 10km championships, which have been incorporated into the Tembisa Mile, on Sunday 26 October.

Fresh from a commanding win at the Tommy Malone Memorial race on October 19 at the Boksburg City Stadium – where he blazed through the men's 15km in in 48:14 – the Maxed Elite athlete is riding a wave of confidence. With his eyes firmly set on another standout performance, Ntholeng - who boasts a 30:36 10km lifetime best - says he’s eager to test himself against some of the country’s top runners as he looks to cement his status as one of Central Gauteng's rising road running talents.

Boasting past competitors such as 3-time Olympian Elroy Gelant who won the 2024 edition of the race, The Thembisa Mile 10km has become one CGA's most competitive 10km races and Ntholeng is ready to make a name for himself with a standout performance. Photo Credit: Lebohang Pita.

"After my performance at the Tommy Malone Race, I've seen that I can maintain a 03:00min/km pace and can also stick with the faster runners. I want to run a sub-30 and to finish in the top 10 at the champs. Hopefully that will be enough to earn me a place to represent CGA at the nationals once again," he told #TheTopRunner.

Although he admitted that the race which takes place at the Olifantsfontein Sports Grounds won’t be easy due to the depth of the field, the 22-year old intends to stick to the plan that he and his coach Mario Mnguni put together in preparation for the event.

"We've done a lot of speed training. We’ve got the mileage but my coach and I realised we lacked a bit of speed. So we centred our preparation on speed work. We've been training well and Coach Mario has been monitoring my progress over the past three years," he explained. "We've been improving steadily due to my consistency. I’m ready for the champs. My performance at the Tommy Malone race was an indicator that I'm heading in the right direction," he said.

Ntholeng celebrates victory at the Tommy Malone 15km. Photo Credit: Lebohang Pita.

Following a disappointing outing at the national cross-country champs last month, where he finished 11^th in the men’s U23 4km race, Ntholeng said that performance motivated him to keep fighting as he draws inspiration from lining up next to CGA’s top talents such as Kabelo Mulaudzi, Bennet Seloyi, Sibusiso Msibi and Chris Mhlanga who made a name for himself by winning the 2022 Thembisa Mile 10km.

"They are among the top distance talents in the country. I've been watching them since I was a junior. I've seen how they’ve struggled and managed to work hard to be where they are. Being in the same field as them motivates me a lot. I always tell myself that one day I will get it right. They all started where I am. They didn't just get to the top. One day I will reach their level. I also speak to them a lot. They encourage me to be patient, keep working hard and remain disciplined."