When the starter’s gun cracks over the Indian Ocean on 1 March 2026, it won’t just signal another road race. It will ignite what promises to be the fastest women’s 10km field ever assembled on African soil.
Kenya’s Faith Cherono has confirmed she will line up at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K, joining compatriot Brenda Jepchirchir in a field that reads like a roll call of global speed. The announcement by organisers Stillwater Sports effectively turns Gqeberha into the continent’s newest speed laboratory.
Cherono’s journey to this start line has been anything but a straight sprint.
Originally a 5000m specialist and cross-country campaigner, she first flickered onto the road-running radar in 2022 with a 30:50 personal best at the Adizero Road To Records in Germany. Then came a health-related setback that demanded for patience until eventually making her comeback.
Last month in Spain, Cherono clocked a blistering 30:06 at the Valencia 10K, catapulting herself to sixth-fastest woman in the world over 10km this season.
“Valencia’s 10km course is very fast and there are many strong athletes to run with. I am grateful to have made a comeback after a break which was health-related. My improvement in Valencia was a result of lots of hard work with my teammates including Brenda (Jepchirchir). It took a lot of time to fight back and I am thankful to have made it,” said Cherono.
That gratitude now fuels ambition.
With her world ranking soaring, Cherono has become a magnet for elite race directors. Yet she chose to make her South African debut at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series for reasons that run deeper than prize purses.
“I enjoy racing around the world and I am happy to head to South Africa. Running fast on African soil, supporting serious and professional race organisers is important to me as a Kenyan woman.”
There is symbolism stitched into that statement. African athletes have long dominated global road racing, yet the continent itself is only now beginning to host fields of this calibre. Gqeberha’s course is already the stage for multiple national records, including two South African men’s 10km marks. It may now witness another historic barrier fall.
Cherono arrives battle-tested. On Valentine’s Day she ground her way to fifth behind Agnes Ngetich at the Sirikwa Classic World Cross Country Tour in Eldoret.
“I did well over the weekend in the gruelling Sirikwa Cross Country in Eldoret, Kenya. I fought very hard and I was happy with the result especially because I was still in full training as I wrap up my preparations for the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K. I really hope we will have a big day and run as fast as possible.”
Sub-30 on African soil? It’s a question hovering like the final kilometre, daunting, electric, irresistible.
Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and founder of the series, understands the magnitude of the moment.
“Having Faith Cherono confirm her entry alongside Brenda Jepchirchir is a defining moment for the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K,” he said. “Their presence elevates the calibre of competition to an unprecedented level and firmly establishes this as the fastest women’s 10km field ever assembled on African soil. We are incredibly proud to bring world-class racing to Gqeberha and to give South African fans the opportunity to witness history in the making.”
The 2026 Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series spans five major city races: Gqeberha (1 March), Cape Town (10 May), Durban (12 July), Tshwane (23 August) and Joburg (24 September). The races are backed by a combined prize purse of R1 686 000 and enhanced SA athlete incentives designed to spark breakthrough performances.
But first, all roads lead to Gqeberha.
If Valencia was Cherono’s reawakening, then Gqeberha may be her crescendo. It’s a stage where comeback meets courage, and where African soil could finally echo with the footsteps of a sub-30 pioneer.
