Seen Here: Kabelo Mulaudzi in action at the 2025 Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K where he placed first in 29 mins. Photo Credit: Tobias Ginsbeg
PRETORIA, 22 August 2026 — South Africa’s road-running stars Glenrose Xaba and Kabelo Mulaudzi will have home support behind them when the sold-out Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K takes centre stage on Sunday, 23 August.
For Xaba, the objective is clear: race for victory.
Fresh from an impressive win at the Totalsports Women’s Race Johannesburg on Sunday, 16 August, where she clocked a remarkable 32:11 at altitude, the South African 10km record holder arrives in Tshwane with renewed confidence.
“Sunday was definitely one of my best 10km performances at altitude,” said Xaba, reflecting on her Johannesburg victory.
“Running a low 32 minutes in Johannesburg is something I’m very proud of, especially because the conditions at altitude can make it challenging. I went into the race trusting my training and focusing on executing my race plan, so to come away with the victory gives me a lot of confidence and shows me that the hard work is paying off.”
The performance provides an important confidence boost ahead of a formidable international challenge.
Xaba, whose national 10km record stands at 31:12, will face a strong East African contingent headed by Kenyan stars Doreen Cherop, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K champion in 30:43, and Deborah Chemutai, who owns a 31:39 personal best.
Yet Xaba will not be intimidated.
The Tshwane-based athlete has a significant advantage: familiarity with the course. She won the 2025 edition of the race in an impressive 31:50, breaking the 32-minute barrier.
“The Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K is a race I always look forward to because I have performed well there before and I enjoy the atmosphere,” she said.
“After Sunday’s (TWR) performance, my confidence is high, but I also know that every race is different. My goal is to compete for the win, run a strong time and, if the conditions allow, challenge my personal best.”
Her approach, however, remains focused on execution rather than simply chasing the clock.
“Most importantly, I want to execute my race well and see what I can achieve on the day.”
Seen Here: Glenrose Xaba in action at the 2025 Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K where she placed first in 31:50. Photo Credit: Tyrone Winfield
Mulaudzi chasing a return to the podium
On the men’s side, defending Tshwane champion Kabelo Mulaudzi enters Sunday’s race with a different motivation.
The Boxer Athletics Club athlete dominated the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series last season, winning four of five races. However, 2026 has presented a tougher campaign, and the 28-year-old is still searching for his first Series podium of the year.
An injury ruled Mulaudzi out of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K in March, while the Cape Town event was cancelled due to severe weather forecasts.
His sixth-place finish in Durban last month, where he recorded a season-best 28:06, nevertheless offered encouragement.
Despite picking up a hamstring injury during the Durban race, Mulaudzi says his recent training has gone well.
“Although I was set back by the hamstring injury I picked up at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K, I am very happy with my training over the last two weeks and I had a very encouraging time trial earlier in the week,” he said.
The men’s field will provide another stern examination, with Kenyan Salem Kibet among the international contenders. Kibet produced a lifetime-best 27:29 in Durban on 12 July to finish second behind Uganda’s Olympic and world champion Joshua Cheptegei, who won in 27:19.
Against such quality opposition, Mulaudzi is expected to adopt a measured tactical approach as he seeks a top-three finish.
“I think I always do well at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K because my family comes to watch me race in Tshwane,” he said. “I do well because I don’t want to let them down. I would be delighted with a podium finish.”
Home advantage meets world-class competition
The prospect of Xaba and Mulaudzi battling for the podium against some of the world’s leading road runners adds another layer of excitement to an already highly anticipated Tshwane race.
Stillwater Sports Managing Director Michael Meyer believes both South African athletes have plenty to race for.
“Glenrose and Kabelo have both built a fantastic track record in the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series, and it’s exciting to once again see them take on world-class competition on home soil,” Meyer said.
“With the quality of the international field and the passionate Tshwane crowd behind them, they’ll have plenty to race for and thousands of supporters to cheer them on. We’re expecting the kind of racing that will have the crowd on the edge of their seats.”
The Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K will start at 08:00 on Sunday, with the start and finish located on Stanza Bopape Street in Arcadia, Pretoria.
The event is already sold out, ensuring a packed atmosphere as elite athletes and thousands of participants take over the streets of Tshwane.
With Xaba chasing another victory, Mulaudzi targeting a long-awaited podium and a world-class international field standing in their way, Sunday’s race promises a compelling contest between home-grown ambition and international excellence.
The stage is set in Tshwane. Now the race begins.
2026 Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series
- Gqeberha 10K: 1 March — Adriaan Wildschutt (27:47) and Brenda Jepchirchir (30:15) won the elite men’s and women’s races.
- Cape Town 10K: 10 May — Cancelled due to severe weather forecast.
- Durban 10K: 12 July — Joshua Cheptegei (27:19) and Doreen Cherop (30:43) won the elite races.
- Tshwane 10K: 23 August — Sold out
- Joburg 10K: 24 September — Sold out
- Mangaung 10K: 25 October — Entries close 8 October or once capacity is reached.
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