The reigning Comrades Marathon championGeorge Kusche is ready to swap the ultra-marathon grind for a 10km sprinting chess match when he lines up at the sold-out Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K on Sunday, 23 August.
Kusche arrives with a formidable engine and a point to prove. The 28-year-old has spent years building speed on the track and roads, returning to South Africa in 2023 with a sub-four-minute mile and a 13:28.95 5000m best earned during his NCAA career in the United States.
His road progression has been equally purposeful. A 28:56 at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K in 2024 preceded a 2:20:12 marathon debut at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, while fourth place at last year’s Soweto Marathon confirmed his credentials over longer distances.
Then came Comrades.
On 14 June, Kusche tore through the 99th edition of The Ultimate Human Race in 5:15:56, shredding the previous Up Run record by more than eight minutes.
Now the ultra specialist wants to put his shorter-distance legs through the wringer.
“It’s very important for me to run a fast 10km because I train as a marathon athlete year-round and then I switch to Comrades-specific training in March,” Kusche said.
“And if you want to be a good marathoner, you must be able to run a good 10km. So I’m hoping to be able to run a good race at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K. I’d love to see if I can run sub-30 minutes, which should be a good time at altitude. I’m curious to see how well I can do. I’m in decent shape and I’m really looking forward to this.”
Waiting in the wings is Kenya’s Salem Kibet, whose racing heartbeat is calibrated at a considerably faster tempo.
Kibet arrives after running a lifetime-best 27:29 for second behind Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K last month. He now wants the top step.
“My target is to improve on my performance from Durban and compete for the win,” said Kibet. “Finishing second in Durban was not easy, especially running alongside a great athlete like Joshua Cheptegei. That experience taught me a lot. I thank God for the opportunity, and I am looking forward to giving my best in Tshwane.”
The notoriously hilly Tshwane course promises to separate the thoroughbreds from the hopefuls. Last year only 10 men cracked 30 minutes.
Stillwater Sports Managing Director Michael Meyer expects fireworks.
“George Kusche’s decision to test himself over 10km against a field of established specialists adds another fascinating dimension to what is shaping up to be a highly competitive Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K,” Meyer said.
“He has already shown that he has the speed and endurance to compete at the highest level, and it will be exciting to see what he can produce over 10km after his record-breaking Comrades victory.”
With Kusche’s endurance tank meeting Kibet’s turbocharged speed, Tshwane could be in for a 10km duel with sparks flying from the starting gun to the final tape.
Race day: Sunday, 23 August 2026, 08:00, Stanza Bopape Street, Arcadia, Pretoria. The event is sold out.
