The Eastern Cape’s Cwengu Nose will look to benefit from the fast pace set by world-class opposition when the Absa Run Your City Gqeberha 10K hits the streets of the beachfront on March 1.
The 2025 SA10,000m silver medallist, who runs in the colours of Phantane AC, has every right to target a new personal best after opening his season with a 28:45 clocking to win the recent Colchester 10km in “The Bay” by more than a minute.
Crediting his coach Mdu Khumalo for his rapid improvement over the past 12 months in particular, 25-year-old Nose, who hails from Ngcobo, said he has been training hard and would love to improve on his 28:41 personal best in surroundings familiar to him.
“I’m in very good shape because I spent the whole od December training hard to have a good season,” said Nose.
“Since the beginning of the month, I have been training hard for the Absa Run Your City Gqeberha 10K. I know people are saying it is a flat and fast course. It means we are going to witness some fast times. The plan is to stick to the race plan and run my own race.”
Meanwhile, after a fruitful 2025 season during which she became the fourth fastest South African 10km female runner of all time, comeback queen Tayla Kavanagh is relishing the opportunity of taking on the best in SA, Africa and the world at her first road race of the season.
Tayla Kavanagh and Cwenga Nose will bring added excitement to the women’s and men’s elite races, respectively, at the Absa Run Your City Gqeberha 10K
— Michael Meyer, Stillwater Sports managing director and series founder
The Hollywood Athletics Club elite athlete, who won the SA 10km title in 2021 when the national championships were incorporated into the Absa Run Your City Gqeberha 10K, has decided to go back to the basics and focus on track events this year, with the aim of building speed and achieving faster times on the road.
On January 24, Kavanagh opened her season by clocking an impressive career best 9:00:21 to win the 3,000m event during the first KwaZulu-Natal Athletics league meeting at the King’s Park Athletics Stadium.
“This year, I will be focusing quite a lot on the track. Track is something I need to work on as it doesn’t come naturally to me. I don’t come from a track background. I want to challenge myself to develop as an athlete. I’m going to do more track, hopefully 5,000m and 10,000m. I’m hoping to get some speed and translate that speed to the road,” said Kavanagh.
Buoyed by an amazing 2025 which saw her break the 32-minute barrier twice and set a career-best 31:41 on the way to victory at last year’s Sanlam Cape Town Marathon 10km Peace Run, the 24-year-old is ready to compete against the best SA, East Africa and the world has to offer in Nelson Mandela Bay.
“Tayla Kavanagh and Cwenga Nose will bring added excitement to the women’s and men’s elite races, respectively, at the Absa Run Your City Gqeberha 10K,” said Stillwater Sports managing director and series founder Michael Meyer.
“Tayla is coming off a remarkable season and has proven she can deliver fast times on the Absa Run Your City Series courses. It’s always special to see local talent like Cwenga racing in Gqeberha. He has made significant strides over the past 12 months, and with a quality field and fast course conditions, we’re looking forward to seeing what he can produce on race day.
“Gqeberha consistently produces world-class performances, and we are confident it will provide the perfect platform for Tayla and Cwenga to test themselves against the very best in South Africa and beyond.” — Stillwater Sports
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