Cape Town – Prisca Chesang, who has been described as the future of Ugandan female athletics, will spearhead the women's field in the eighth annual Absa Run Your City 10K road race in Cape Town tomorrow (start 8am).
The 19-year-old Ugandan sensation has been making headlines around the world in recent months with her feats in road running and track events. In February, she attained a top-10 finish at the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia, where she competed as a junior in the senior event.
She claimed bronze medals at successive World Athletics Under-20 Championships in the 5000m events and is regarded as medal contender for Paris 2024.
A few months ago, Chesang won the Madrid 10km in an astonishing world-class time of 30:19. The route on Sunday in the Mother City will be as flat and fast as Madrid, and there is every prospect that Chesang could do even better.
"I had heard very good things about the race," said Chesang. "Some of my training partners (Stephen Kissa and Joshua Cheptegei) have also run in Cape Town and Durban. According to them, it is like running in Europe, but in Africa.
"The races are well organised, and the courses are fast.”
There is another Chesang in the race, though not related. She is 22-year-old Diana Chesang of Kenya, who is back for her third stab at a win in the Absa series after finishing second in Durban last year (31:55 – PB) and seventh in Gqeberha (33:38).
South Africa’s Glenrose Xaba has her eyes set on finally cracking that 32-minute mark after her PB in Gqeberha of 32:23, taking 22 seconds off her previous best.
Throw into the mix Lesotho’s Neheng Khatala and a resurgent South African Cacisile Sosibo, and you have a battle royal waiting to happen.
“The Absa Series strives to attract the world’s best athletes to South Africa to race against our stars,” says Michael Meyer, managing director of Stillwater Sports and founder of the Absa Run Your City series.
“Prisca, having run 30:19 at the Madrid 10km over New Year, will be one of the fastest-ever women to race over 10k in South Africa. It is important that we show Africa excellence in women’s running and we are excited to do so in the Absa 10K series."
The race starts at 8am at Woodbridge Island, Milnerton and ends in Cape Town in Lower Long Street opposite the Absa building.
IOL Sport