Like runners easing into a long stride after the opening kilometre, Tayla Kavanagh and Cwenga Nose are approaching the 2026 season with calm confidence — measured, purposeful, and ready to accelerate when it matters most.
Both athletes headline a compelling South African charge at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K on Sunday, 1 March, where flat roads, coastal air and world-class competition promise a fast early-season test.
Kavanagh: Speed Built From the Track Up
Fresh off a breakthrough 2025 that saw her become the fourth-fastest South African women’s 10km runner of all time, Kavanagh arrives in Gqeberha not chasing fireworks, but laying foundations — brick by brick, stride by stride.
The Hollywood Athletics Club elite, who claimed the SA 10km title in 2021 when the championships were hosted within the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K, has deliberately pivoted back to the track this year. The aim: sharpen raw speed before letting it spill onto the road.
Her early signs are promising. On 24 January, Kavanagh opened her season by slicing through the field to win the 3 000m at the first KZNA League Meeting, clocking a career-best 9:00.21 at Kings 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,” said Kavanagh.
“I want to challenge myself in order to develop as an athlete. So 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.”
That approach is rooted in confidence. In 2025, Kavanagh dipped under 32 minutes twice, highlighted by a career-best 31:41 victory at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon 10km Peace Run — a performance that closed her season like a perfectly judged kick.
“The goal for the first race of the season is to lay down a good solid foundation,” she explained.
“I surprised myself with what I can do by ending the year in Cape Town the way I did.”
Although she missed the Gqeberha race last year, the numbers caught her attention.
“Looking at the times it shows that the race was fast. I’m hoping Glenrose will run to see if we can challenge each other this year as we did last year,” she said.
“I get the best results when I just run. If I’m calm and relaxed, I run at my best.”
Nose: Home Roads, Hungry Legs
If Kavanagh’s story is about speed refinement, Cwenga Nose is running on momentum and belief.
Cwenga Nose at Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series in 2025 by Action Photo
The Eastern Cape native and 2025 SA 10 000m silver medallist has started his season like a runner who knows exactly where the finish line is. In January, Nose dominated the Colchester 10km in Gqeberha, stopping the clock at 28:45, winning by more than a minute.
It was an early marker that suggested his 28:41 personal best is well within reach.
“I’m in very good shape because I spent the whole 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.”
The Phantane AC runner, who hails from eNgcobo in the former Transkei, credits coach Mdu Khumalo for the steady climb in his performances over the past year.
“I know people are saying it is a flat and fast course. It means we are going to witness some fast times,” he added.
“The plan is to stick to the race plan and run my own race.”
A Platform Built for Speed
According to Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and Series Founder, Gqeberha remains one of the most reliable stages for elite performances.
“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 Meyer.
“Tayla is coming off a remarkable season and has proven she can deliver fast times on the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series courses.”
He added that Nose’s presence adds a local spark.
“It’s always special to see local talent like Cwenga Nose 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.”
For both athletes, the race is less about peak form and more about direction, an early compass reading for a long season ahead.
“Gqeberha consistently produces world-class performances,” Meyer concluded, “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.”
