Elroy Gelant ready for Absa Run Your City 10km after a personal best in Belgium 21km

By Charles Baloyi
15th March 2025

South African long-distance star Elroy Gelant believes clocking his personal best of 1:00:22 at the Bashir’s Run Half-Marathon in Belgium will be a major confidence boost as he prepares for the Absa Run Your City 10km race in Gqeberha.

The prestigious event, which offers R30,000 to the first man and woman across the finish line, will take place at Nelson Mandela Bay on April 13.

Gelant admitted he was surprised to triumph against a strong field at the Wouter Weydant Athletics Stadium in Gent Brugge.

He edged out Belgian runners Simon Debognies (1:01:02) and Robin Hendrix (1:01:18) in a competitive field of 97 athletes.

Setting a new personal best was the last thing on the reigning South African half-marathon champion’s mind, but he reinforced his status as the country’s top half-marathoner with a stellar performance in Europe.

Gelant, who won the Athletics South Africa (ASA) Road Runner of the Year award in January, expressed his excitement after his recent performance.

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“Winning the race was not my main goal, but I achieved it, and I’m super excited about what lies ahead,” he said in an interview with the national broadcaster.

“Our target was to run a sub-60-minute race, and winning was just a bonus at my age. When the pacer had to maintain the pace through 5km, we had to stay in the lead. I’m happy to have set a personal best in the 21.1km race, especially in Europe,” said Gelant, who is coached by Jean Verster, the former mentor of Olympic medallists Caster Semenya and Nigel Amos.

Elroy Gelant, who claimed victory in two Run Your City races in 2024, is eyeing the national 10km record in Gqeberha, which carries a R50,000 bonus.

The current record of 27:35 was set by Precious Mashele in 2023 at the same venue. Last year, Gelant secured second place in Gqeberha with a time of 27:17.

This time, he is targeting a 27:47 finish but remains a strong contender to challenge the national record given his current form. Gelant, who is also preparing for a European marathon next month, said, “My goal for the Absa Run Your City 10km in Gqeberha is to run a personal best. I heard it will be the fastest 10km race in years, and I’m looking forward to competing in Nelson Mandela Bay.”