'We'll only be friends before the start' - Seloyi wins CGA Cross Country title to setup duel against Mulaudzi at SA Champs

To his SA Marathon title and Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA) Half Marathon title, Bennet Seloyi added another provincial crown when he won the Senior Men's 10km race at the CGA Cross Country Championships in Germiston yesterday. In the absence of reigning national 10km cross country champion Kabelo Mulaudzi and the dangerous Kabelo Melamu, the Boxer Athletics Club top runner bested a quality field including the likes of Zenzile Pheko (second), Andries Sesedi (third) and Chris Mhlanga to underline his status as one of the most improved athletes of the last 18 months.

"I had a good race today," he told #TheTopRunner. "Cross country is demanding and the body starts to heat up after 4km, so I made my move early."

"After joining Boxer at the beginning of the year, I sat down with my coach. He explained to me that I'm now in a big club, which means I am no longer running for fun. My improvement comes from the fact that sometimes when you join a big team like Boxer or Nedbank with top runners, you are challenged to improve. So I had to show that I belong in this club."

Seloyi, Pheko and Sesedi celebrate podium finishes. They will represent CGA at the national cross country championships in Mpumalanga on 6 September. Photo Credit: MWMedia.

The Thembisan who originally hails from Limpopo, acknowledged that Mulaudzi's absence - he chose to run the 4km race - had made his job of winning easier. That is why he is looking forward to the Athletics South Africa (ASA) Cross Country Championships in Middelburg on 6 September where he will be able to go toe to toe against Mulaudzi for the country's ultimate cross country prize.

"It's time to work hard. Next month at the SA Champs, we have to run hard. Myself Kabza (Mulaudzi), Chris (Mhlanga), Andries and others will be chasing each other. Today was just about qualifying for the national championships. Once we get there, we'll only be friends before the start. Once the gun fires, we are no longer friends. We'll be friends again after the race."

Mhlanga and Pheko leading the senior men's 10km race during the first 2km lap of the 5 lap 10km race. Photo Credit: MWMedia.

Before he represents his province at the national cross country championships in Mpumalanga though, the 24-year-old has one more milestone to check off his 2025 to-do list. Last December the top runner who is coached by Best Ngwenya, declared that he wanted to cement his place in the upper echelons of South Africa's distance running scene by running under 29 minutes for the first time. He achieved that at both the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Cape Town 10K (28:19) and the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K where he produced a career best 28:12 for eighth position. He says all that's left for him to do is secure his maiden Absa RUN YOUR CITY podium finish when he lines up at the Absa TSHWANE 10K on 24 August.

"There are only two Absa RYC races left for the year. I have my plans. I have to finish on the podium for at least one of those two races. I must force it! I have to try because those hilly courses do favour me. It's my opportunity to be counted amongst the best in the country."

In the women's 10km race, Cacisile Sosibo controlled the race to defend her title as the much improved Zanele Masia of Waterfall AC took second place.