World Record Holder to run in the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K
Following the excitement of the Cape Town leg of the Absa
RUN YOUR CITY Series that took place just over a week ago, Stillwater Sports is
thrilled to announce that Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw, who is currently the
World Record Holder in the 10km, will headline the women’s race at the Absa RUN
YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K on Sunday 09 July 2023.
Her world record stands at 29:14 and was set in Spain in 2022.
“This is massive news for the series and for SA road running. Not only is Yalemzerf Yehualaw’s entry into the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K the highest point for the Series to date, but it’s also a fantastic accomplishment for South African sport,” says Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and Founder of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series.
“We’ve seen the level of South African middle-distance running improve immensely over the last couple of years. This can be attributed to the fact that SA’s elites are being given more opportunities to race against the world’s best athletes on home soil.
"With a world record behind her name, lovers of the sport will see the world’s best female runner compete in Durban. We can’t wait to welcome Yalemzerf to the start line, ready to make history.”
Yehualaw clocked a 29:14 in Spain on 27 February 2022 to set the World Record. This year, in Valencia, she missed her own World Record by a mere 5 seconds, clocking 29:19.
Yehualaw’s track record speaks for itself. Bronze at the World Half Marathon Championships in 2020, gold over the same distance at the All-African Games, and winner of the 2022 London Marathon, Yehualaw at 23, is an established global super star of road running. Not only is she the world record holder over 10k, but she also holds the second fastest half marathon time (63:51) ever run.
Yehualaw’s entry into the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K means that she is the fastest ever woman to line up in the series. If there was ever any doubt that the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series is a truly international series which pits the best of South Africa against the best of Africa and the World, Yehualaw racing in Durban should put those doubts to bed.
Yalemzerf Yehualaw is the latest in a string of international athletes who are World Champions, Olympic Champions or World Record Holders to descend on the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series, with athletes like Joshua Cheptegei (2x World Record Holder, 2x World Champion and 1x Olympic Champion) and Daniel Ebenyo (Commonwealth and African Championships silver medalist) amongst others to have already raced in the series.
The Ethiopian will no doubt set the streets of Durban on fire on the fast and flat course. There is a strong possibility that the fastest ever time set by a woman on South African and African soil will be set at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K come Sunday 09 July.
Meyer concludes, “We hope that Yalemzerf’s participation will encourage thousands of runners to enter the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K. It’s not often that we as road runners get to line up with the world record holder on the start line. That’s the beauty and magic of road running.”
