Bennett Seloyi targets top ten finish at Soweto Marathon

The Limpopo-born athlete, who claimed his maiden national marathon title earlier this year representing Central Gauteng Athletics, will line up at Nasrec under the guidance of his coach Best Ngwenya in Tembisa. Seloyi recently impressed with a third-place finish at the Absa Run Your City 10km on Heritage Day.

He was initially scheduled to compete in the Cape Town Marathon, but the event was cancelled due to severe weather conditions, leaving many elite and social runners heartbroken.

Despite that setback, the 24-year-old Boxer Running Club athlete is determined to make his mark in Soweto, a race he grew up watching.

 “I’m going into the Soweto Marathon as the national champion, so all eyes are on me—and I’m also watching them. I’m both nervous and excited because it’s a strong field, which include East African runners from Kenya and Ethiopia and neighbouring countries like Lesotho and Zimbabwe.

Many people say I’ve improved fast, and I agree because I have a great support system and strong training partners. I look up to Stephen Mokoka—he’s an inspiration and someone who’s easy to talk to,” said Seloyi.

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Seloyi expects a tough race but is confident about delivering a solid performance.

“Soweto is a big race with a lot of history and good prize money. If I can run a sub-2:20 and finish in a good position, it could open doors for sponsorship opportunities. I’ve been following this race for years, and now I finally get to be part of it,” he added.

The proud Mokopane-born runner from Millennium Park is pleased with his progress this season, which includes a second-place finish at the Hollywoodbets Johannesburg 10km last month.

“I’ve made great strides this year, especially over 10km races. I’m happy with my performances and the effort I’ve put in. My goal now is to keep improving and build on this momentum in 2026,” Seloyi concluded.