Ryan Mphahlele and Karabo More conquered the hills of Emmarentia to claim the Elite Men’s and Women’s titles at the 2026 Boxer Super Run Joburg on Sunday, with both champions delivering performances packed with grit, tactical intelligence and ambition.
Marks Park Sports Club provided the battleground for a fiercely contested 5km showdown, where Mphahlele clocked 14:19 to secure back-to-back Elite Men’s victories, while More claimed the women’s crown in 16:39.
For Mphahlele, victory was a nerve-racking exercise in patience, positioning and perfectly timed aggression.
“Today was tough,” he admitted. “At the end, I had to wait for the right moment to make a break. I didn’t know at what distance to make the break. I just felt like this was the right moment, and I think it was around 4.7km when I could smell the win.”
The men’s race initially resembled a crowded sprint train, with a sizeable bunch remaining together through the opening 2km. The field was whittled down to eight before four contenders emerged from the pack at the 3km mark.
With the undulating course extracting its toll, Mphahlele eventually unleashed his decisive move to leave his rivals chasing shadows.
“I was thinking about how far I could go and whether I was going to win or not. For me, it feels good to win it back-to-back. I felt relieved crossing the finish line first.”
Musawenkosi Mnisi secured second place, with Zenzile Pheko completing the podium.
In the Elite Women’s Wave, More delivered a breakthrough performance against a formidable field, edging out Kyla Jacobs and Nicola Jansen.
Her winning strategy was built around patience, pack positioning and a relentless finish.
“The Elite Women’s Wave was filled with a strong field. As a result, the race was quite challenging, and I didn’t believe that I would finish in first position. My plan was to stay with the pack, fight to the finish and see where it would get us,” said More.
She identified Jacobs, Jansen and Cian Oldknow-Gerber as her toughest competition, admitting that Jansen’s move to the front signalled an imminent increase in pace.
For More, however, the victory carried significance beyond the stopwatch.
“Crossing the finish line first is a dream come true, because Glenrose (Xaba) is really giving us the baton, and it’s up to us to take it and try to follow in her footsteps.”
Her tribute to Xaba, one of South Africa’s leading distance-running stars, underlined the importance of the next generation taking ownership of the sport’s future.
More also praised the event’s atmosphere, entertainment and inclusive spirit, highlighting the dancing, welcome and race-day experience.
Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports, praised the competitive depth and quality of the elite fields.
“The quality and depth of the elite fields produced some highly competitive racing, with athletes pushing hard from the start and giving spectators plenty to get excited about,” he said, congratulating both champions and everyone who embraced the Joburg course.
Lee-Ann Pillay, Head of Marketing at Boxer Superstores, thanked the sponsors, partners, spectators, runners and wider Johannesburg community for contributing to the event’s success.
Launched in 2023, the Boxer Super Run has rapidly established itself as a popular fixture on South Africa’s running calendar, bringing together elite competitors, recreational runners, walkers and first-timers.
Its inclusive programme featured Elite Men’s and Women’s races, an Open Wave, Super Social Wave and a 1km Kids Race.
With Amogelang Tatai (13:38) and Glenrose Xaba (15:29) winning the Durban titles in October, the Joburg champions have added another exciting chapter to the growing series.
Mphahlele and More now have their names etched on the Joburg honours roll. Their victories also offer a tantalising glimpse of the depth, ambition and fresh talent driving South African road running forward.
