Cian Oldknow gears up for the inaugural Joburg 5km Run

The elite women’s race will start at 9:45 am, followed by the men’s race 15 minutes later, in what is expected to be a sold-out event.

The women’s race promises to be highly competitive, featuring top athletes such as Glenrose Xaba and Karabo More, winners of the 2024 Tshwane and 2025 Durban editions, respectively.

Oldknow, representing Hollywood Athletics Club, insists she is confident and eager to continue her fine form heading into the first Joburg edition.

“The 5km distance is quite challenging because it’s an all-out effort from the start—it almost feels like a sprint,” Oldknow told SABC Sport. 

“But it’s a great way to test my fitness, and I’d really like to lower my 5km time.”

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The Durban-born athlete has enjoyed an impressive season, clocking a sub-32-minute 10km and winning the Durban International 10km earlier this year.

While she is more accustomed to the longer 10km and marathon (42.2km) distances, Oldknow also believes that South Africa needs more competitive short-distance road races to develop the speed and sharpness of its distance runners.

“We have so many talented athletes, but most 5km races in the country are treated as fun runs. We need more serious 5km events like this one. I’m also using this race as part of my comeback after a few injuries and a dip in fitness—it’s a good building block for next season,” she explained.

With R20,000 in prize money for the men’s and women’s winners, Oldknow applauded the organisers for recognising the 5km as an important race distance.

“The prize money is fantastic and motivates athletes to aim for the podium. It shows that the 5km should be taken seriously. My goal is to stay competitive, enjoy the race, and build momentum for 2026,” she said.

The 2024 Olympian is looking forward to lining up alongside the country’s top female runners on Sunday as she continues to rebuild towards another strong season on the road.