CAPE TOWN — Ethiopia’s multiple global championships medalist Genzebe Dibaba has announced that she will race in the Absa Run Your City Durban 10K on July 10. The five-time World Indoor champion in the 1500m and 3000m, owns four world records and two world bests and she is targeting a fast time in her return to Cape Town.
Dibaba, who has been hampered by injuries in recent seasons, has made three appearances so far this season, but dropped out of two of those, including her last competition at the Montreuil International Meeting in France last month.
The 31-year-old world 1500m champion in 2015, is aiming to get her season back on track and will once again test her fitness when she returns to try and improve on her third place finish at the first edition of the Absa Run Your City Durban 10K when she crossed the line in 31:02 in her 10K debut on the road.
In fact, she confirmed that she is targeting something fast after making a few mistakes in her previous race. Read more: Results from the 2022 Tokyo Marathon; record times by Kipchoge, Kosgei
“I have unfinished business, as I came here to win and run a fast time, so I will be back,” said Dibaba.
The Rio 2016 Olympic 1500m silver medalist is eager to break the South African All Comers record of 30:40 set by Stella Chesang in the Cape Town leg of the series on 15 May 2022.
“I made some mistakes and it cost me in Cape Town,” Dibaba added. “But this was only my first ever 10km and only my third road race, so I am still learning how to race on the roads. It is very different to the track.”
She continued: “I want to go better than Cape Town and improve the time set by Stella (Chesang). I know the route is geared for fast times and that conditions in Durban at that time of the year are near perfect, so I am excited to return to South Africa and run fast.”
Delighted to have Genzebe Dibaba at Absa Run Your City Durban 10K
Meanwhile, the event organiser, Stillwater Sports, is delighted to have Dibaba back in this series.
“Having Genzebe Dibaba race in the Absa Run Your City Durban 10K is a massive privilege and confirms that we are serious about bringing the best in the world to South Africa to race against SA’s finest on home soil,” Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and Founder of the Absa Run Your City Durban 10K said.
“Our goal is to give South Africans world class competition and the Absa Run Your City Durban 10K is doing just that. That Dibaba comes here to race shows that we are on the right track to achieving this objective.
“The cherry on top is that, although an athlete like Dibaba is in demand worldwide, she has expressed a strong desire to run in Durban to again experience a world class event on African soil.”
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