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Kenyan athletes Vincent Langat and Diana Chepkorir showcased their prowess at the Absa Run Your City 10km race in Gqeberha, dominating the male and female categories respectively.
Langat dashed across the Finish Line in an impressive 28 minutes and 01 seconds, securing the male title with the R30 000 prize money in his first race in South Africa.
Elroy Gelant trailed closely behind, claiming second place in 28:17, earning R25 000, while Precious Mashele clinched third place in 28:19, taking home the R20 000 reward despite challenging cold and windy conditions.
In a tightly contested race, Langat surged ahead in the final 2km, while Gelant narrowly edged out Mashele at the finish line to secure second place.
Chepkoriri marked her first race in the series with a stellar performance, finishing in 31 minutes and 15 seconds.
She was followed home by compatriot Nancy Sang, who secured second place in 31:39, and Ethiopian athlete Salem Gebre, who claimed third place in 31:42.
“I would like to thank the organizers for inviting me to the race,” said Langat.
“I wanted to run a faster time but unfortunately the wind made it difficult for me. It was not an easy race to win and it was tough. I wanted to break out early and in the last 2km. Mashele was strong and it was not easy to shake him off and go for the sprint finish. I am planning to come back and race in another race in the series,” he told SABC Sport after he crossed the Finish Line.
Langat encouraged the South African runners not to give up and to continue to work hard after claiming the highest place on the podium. “They must train hard and prepare well for the race and they will get it right. They must keep on training; they run well and it is only training that they should focus on. The organization in South Africa is the best and I will tell more Kenyans to come and run in the series. I plan to qualify for the Olympic Games in the 10 000m,” said Langat.
Meanwhile, being the race favourite didn’t put her under pressure and she lived up to her expectations by winning the race. “I am so happy I won, but the course was challenging, and the weather was too cold,” said a victorious Chepkorir.
“Despite that, I’m satisfied with my time, although the sub-30 was out of reach due to the cold weather,” she added.
“I maintained my pace by running alongside male competitors until I finished the race solo. I have intentions to return soon,” Chepkorir revealed.
“To South African runners, my advice is to work hard and never lose hope,” she concluded in her interview with the national broadcaster.
