Series ‘could be world best’

With organisers making bold claims about the potential of the event, distance runner Elroy Gelant has backed their belief that the latest addition to the Run Your City series can become the fastest 10km road race in the world.

“It’s a great platform for us to go for good times at a local race against the Kenyans, who bring out the best in us,” Gelant said this week at the launch of the FNB Durban 10k CitySurfRun.

“There’s a whole psychological change to the mindset if you say to the guys ‘come on, let’s go for the world lead’, so I think it’s possible.”

The CitySurfRun contest would take place for the first time in October, organisers revealed, adding to existing Run Your City races in Cape Town and Durban.

The Cape Town 12 OneRun was held for the first time in 2015, attracting global stars which included multiple track world champion Vivian Cheruiyot, while the first edition of the Joburg 10km CityRun last year boasted a fullstrength domestic line-up.

“The Durban 10km CitySurfRun route will be fast and flat,” said Michael Meyer, managing director of series organisers Stillwater Sports.

“Add to the mix near-perfect weather conditions, our goal of making this the fastest 10km in the world becomes even more achievable.

“We will be targeting some bigname athletes ... and South Africa’s best athletes will have another opportunity to race against the world’s best.”

With South Africa traditionally focusing on marathons and ultra-distance races, Gelant felt the Run Your City series offered crucial world-class competition on home soil over shorter distances.

“This is exactly what we need to boost middle-distance running in South Africa,” he said.