Arthur Jantjies has traded the lonely roads of ultra-marathon running for the high-octane 10km arena, with the Totalsports TWO OCEANS ULTRA MARATHON champion targeting a top-10 finish at the inaugural Absa RUN YOUR CITY MANGAUNG 10K on 25 October.
The 26-year-old Northern Cape speedster arrives in Mangaung carrying more than a winner’s medal. He carries the hopes of a developing running community eager to see local athletes rub shoulders with South Africa’s elite.
Jantjies stunned the ultra-running establishment in April when he clocked 3:09:25 to conquer the Totalsports TWO OCEANS ULTRA MARATHON, defeating the likes of 2024 champion Onalenna Khonkhobe.
His transformation has continued under legendary ultra-marathon coach John Hamlett, whom he joined at the beginning of the season.
Arthur Jantjies stuns field to claim Two Oceans Marathon title
Hamlett’s influence has helped Jantjies sharpen his speed, with his 10km personal best tumbling to 29:19 in May. He followed that with 29:32 at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K on 12 July.
Now Mangaung beckons.
“This is big for the Free State and the Northern Cape because we will be able to run against the best and share knowledge,” said Jantjies.
For an athlete from Hopetown, roughly 120km from Kimberley, the inaugural race represents more than another starting line. It is a bridge between the sport’s established powerhouses and communities where ambitious young runners are waiting for their chance to break through.
Jantjies believes Mangaung’s flat course and dry conditions could produce a sizzling 10km, turning the race into a potential drag strip for South Africa’s best road runners.
“We have a flat course and dry air, so everything is nice here,” he said.
That optimism comes with ambition. Jantjies knows the elite field will be unforgiving, with every kilometre likely to feel like a rugby Test played at full throttle. Yet a top-10 finish is firmly within his sights.
Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and Series Founder, believes Jantjies embodies precisely what the Mangaung event is designed to achieve.
“Arthur is a fantastic addition to the inaugural Absa RUN YOUR CITY MANGAUNG 10K, and his journey from the Free State and Northern Cape running community to becoming a Totalsports TWO OCEANS ULTRA MARATHON champion is hugely inspiring.
“Bringing the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series to Mangaung is about more than adding another race to the calendar; it’s about creating opportunities for local runners to compete alongside some of South Africa’s best and showing the next generation what is possible. Having Arthur in the mix at the inaugural event makes his participation particularly special.”
The race starts at 07:00 outside Grey College in Sir George Grey Street, with the finish on Kings Way in Bloemfontein.
At R255 for licensed runners, entries include the event performance T-shirt, drawstring bag, peak cap, socks, race number and timing chip, finisher’s medal, refreshments, entertainment and post-race activities. Temporary licences cost R70.
Entries close on 8 October or when capacity is reached.
For Jantjies, the mission is simple: run fast, race hard and show the next generation that the road to the top can begin anywhere.
Mangaung’s newest 10km could provide the perfect runway.
Websites: www.runyourcityseries.com
