Fresh off a Half Marathon PB, Gelant eyes Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K

After a stellar 2024 season, where he claimed two national titles and proudly represented South Africa in the Olympic Marathon, Elroy Gelant is poised for an even bigger 2025. The three-time Olympian delivered a scintillating performance at the Bashir’s Run Half Marathon in Belgium on Sunday, 9 March, clocking a lifetime best of 60:22 to secure victory. Motivated by this achievement, Gelant is eagerly preparing for his first Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES race of the year—the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K—on Sunday, 13 April.

“I’m really excited about my performance and I’m feeling optimistic about what lies ahead. While winning was never the goal, it turned out to be an amazing bonus! I consider it a blessing to still be able to achieve personal bests at this stage in my life.

We set a goal for a sub-60 finish right from the start, but when our pacer could only maintain that pace for 5km, we had to take the lead early in the race, which may have impacted our goal. Nonetheless, achieving a personal best is exciting, and this performance serves as just a stepping stone in my preparations for the marathon in April,” explained the 38-year-old top runner who is coached by Jean Verster.

As part of his preparation for the April marathon during the European spring, Gelant will return to the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K, where he secured a runner-up finish in 28:17 last year. Now, with an improved 10km personal best of 27:47 from the 2024 Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K and the fastest 21km time of his career, the North West University lecturer is confident in his ability to break new ground beyond 27:47.

In closing, Gelant adds, “Sunday’s race gave me valuable momentum and highlighted my current form as I prepare for the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K. I’m excited for this event, especially since I’ve heard it’s set to be a fast 10km. My goal? To set a personal best and cap off this training cycle on a high note!”

In the women’s race: 

Also targeting a fast time on the streets of Nelson Mandela Bay is Karabo More. The 22-year-old Boxer Athletics Club rising star made a name for herself in 2024 with a standout victory at the Boxer Super Run 5km in Durban and a strong runner-up finish at the Thembisa Mile 10km race. With a 10km personal best of 34:49, achieved with a fifth-place finish at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K last September, the talented athlete—coached by Violet Semenya—is eager to secure her first-ever Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES podium finish in the Friendly City on 13 April.

“I think it’s all about training and the motivation and support that I get from my coaches. I had actually given up running because I couldn’t agree on what my best distance is with my former coach. My coach Violet Semenya told me to just give it a try again and see where it takes us. So now I’m focussing on 10km races. There’s some light,” says More.

Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and Series Founder, says: “Elroy Gelant’s victory at the Bashir’s Run Half Marathon and his impressive 60:22 personal best highlight his consistency and drive to keep improving. He’s a seasoned competitor who always brings his best to the Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES, making him a standout in any elite field. Beyond his racing credentials, he’s also a great sportsman and a valued presence at our events. We look forward to seeing him in action again and wish him all the best for Gqeberha.

It’s also exciting to have rising star Karabo More in the series. Coached by two of South Africa’s finest, she’s an exceptional talent with a bright future. The elite lineup for the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K is shaping up to be something special, and we look forward to witnessing world-class performances in The Friendly City!”

EVENT DATES: 2025 Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES

Charity Support: The Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES proudly supports the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) as the official charity of the entire series of events. A non-profit leader in the fight against cancer since 1931, CANSA enables research, educates the public and advocates for and supports all people affected by cancer, while leading SA towards a cancer-free society. When entering an Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES event online, runners can show their support by donating towards CANSA. 

Prize Purse: The Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES boasts an impressive, combined prize purse of R1 610 000.00 in 2025. Each of the five events will feature a total prize allocation of R322 000. Of this, R252 000.00 will be dedicated to the Open Category, with R126 000.00 awarded to the Top 10 Open Men and R126 000.00 to the Top 10 Open Women. The top male and female finishers in each city will receive R30 000.00 each, with R25 000.00 going to second-place finishers and R20 000.00 to third-place finishers. 

Additionally, R70 000.00 will be allocated to Age Categories. The Age Category prize pool will reward the top three finishers in the Junior, 40–49, 50–59, 60–69, and 70+ age groups.”

South African Athlete Incentives: The Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES also has an unprecedented “SA Athlete Prize Incentive Schedule” for 2025. Applying to all five races, the incentive schedule offers bonuses for exceptional performances. In the men’s category, bonuses will start for times faster than 28 minutes, with a substantial R200 000.00 bonus for breaking the 27-minute barrier. For women, bonuses begin for times faster than 32:08 minutes, with an impressive R200 000.00 incentive for breaking the 30:23 mark.

To further raise the stakes, a bonus of R50 000.00 will be awarded to the South African athlete who breaks the SA 10km record (at the time of the race). The current men’s record stands at 27:35, set by Precious Mashele at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K in 2023, while Glenrose Xaba holds the women’s record of 31:12, achieved at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K in 2024. It’s important to note that the R50 000.00 will be awarded to the fastest time.