With the Paris 2024 Olympics Games around the corner, it’s been a marvel to watch South African athlete Elroy Gelant delivers three impressive Absa Run Your City races back-to-back (coming in second place in both Gqeberha in April and Cape Town in May, before securing first spot in the men’s 10K race in Durban) as he readies to take on his biggest running challenge yet on August 10 at the 2024 Olympics.
His victory at the iconic Absa Run Your City in Durban on Sunday (July 7) provided a bird’s eye view on what exactly goes on behind the scenes as athletes from around the world prepare for the Olympics. His story to the top of Absa RYC Durban throne is one of many Olympic athletes who stayed persistent and never giving up on their dreams. It’s as much a goal and vision to ace this particular race that drove him, as it’s about the passion and love for the sport.
As he spoke NOWinSA on the sidelines of the Absa RYC Durban following his golden performance, the experienced marathoner said he’ll use his record performance of a new lifetime best of 27: 47 in the 10K event as a crucial step in finalising preparations before heading to Paris end of July.
“It’s great to get my first Absa Run Your City Series win. It took a lot of strength in the last part of the race but I’m happy I managed to hold on to the end. It’s also a combination of discipline and hard work in training,” Gelant said, adding. “To win is crucial in terms of building the confidence leading up to the Olympics.”
Defending champion Kabelo Mulaudzi came in second crossing the finish line at 27:53, while Thabang Mosiako claimed the third position clocking in at 27:54.
Meanwhile, in the women’s race Kenyan Christine Nalimo Njoki claimed first place after crossing the finish line at 30:37. Debash Desta came in second after clocking in at 31:00, while Judith Kiyeng came in third position after at 31:10.
Congratulating all the deserving winners for their remarkable dedication in the series, Absa’s head of sponsorships, brand and marketing Jabulile Nsibanyoni had this to say: “We commend all participants of the Absa Run Your City Durban 10K for their participation and efforts to help us pledge R1 for every kilometre run or walked by a Team Absa member on Strava.”
Nsibanyoni added: “Witnessing individuals, driven by diverse motivations, achieve personal milestones has been truly inspiring. Your stories have deeply moved us and ignited a flame of motivation within our team.”
PHOTO: RAJESH JANTILAL
Elroy Gelant’s Olympics journey
The 2024 Paris Olympics Games marks Gelant’s third consecutive participation in the Games after finishing 33rd in the Tokyo 2020 marathon and 13th in the 5,000m final at Rio 2016.
Earlier this year, the 37-year-old achieved a personal best time of 2:08:56 (2 hours 8 minutes 58 seconds) in the 42.KM marathon in Seville, Spain. Though he fell short of the Olympic qualifying mark by a mere 43 seconds (2:08:10) during the competition, he followed this with impressive victories in half-marathon titles in April (Durban International Marathon ) and June in Gqeberha (Nelson Mandela Bay Half Marathon), including the Absa RYC Series.
His consistent, stellar showings persuaded ASA (Athletic South Africa) to write to World Athletics to motivate for Gelant to participate in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Gelant will line up alongside South Africa’s best all-round road athlete, fourth-time Olympics lucky Stephen Mokoka when they take on the East Africans during the Olympic Marathon come August 10. He and Mokoka, who was also part of an impressive roster of athletes for the Absa RYC Cape Town 10K, were leading the nation’s 14-member squad that won the team bronze at the World Half-Marathon Championships in Riga, Latvia in 2023.
