ELROY Gelant is not letting up. Following a stellar 2024 running season in which he won two national titles and starred for the country at the Paris Olympics, the Boxer Athletic Club veteran kick-started the current season in style.

Gelant won the Bashir’s Run Half Marathon in Belgium over the weekend in a lifetime best time of 60:22, sending a clear message to the rest of the country that he will once again be the man to beat.

A winner of the SA Marathon Championships — incorporated into the Durban International Marathon last year — the man from Pacaltsdorp in George also ran some superb times in the popular Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series.

While he stood on the podium in most of those races, the top spot eluded him as the Kenyans dominated the five-race series. However, his run in Belgium suggests he could make up for that, and the rest of the field lining up at the opening race in Gqeberha on April 13 has been warned.

“I’m really excited about my performance and feeling optimistic about what lies ahead. While winning was never the goal, it turned out to be an amazing bonus! I consider it a blessing to still be able to achieve personal bests at this stage in my life.

“We set a goal for a sub-60 finish right from the start, but when our pacer could only maintain that pace for 5km, we had to take the lead early in the race, which may have impacted our goal. Nonetheless, achieving a personal best is exciting, and this performance serves as just a stepping stone in my preparations for the marathon in April," explained the 38-year-old top runner, who is coached by Jean Verster.

As part of his preparation for the April marathon during the European spring, Gelant will return to the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K, where he secured a runner-up finish in 28:17 last year.

Now, with an improved 10km personal best of 27:47 from the 2024 Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K and the fastest 21km time of his career, the North West University lecturer is confident in his ability to break new ground beyond 27:47.

Gelant feels the run in Belgium has set him up well for Gqeberha: “Sunday’s race gave me valuable momentum and highlighted my current form as I prepare for the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K.

"I’m excited for this event, especially since I’ve heard it’s set to be a fast 10km. My goal? I want to set a personal best and cap off this training cycle on a high note!”

The women’s race of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K also promises to be a thrilling affair, with rising Boxer Athletics Club star Karabo More keen to register her maiden victory in the series. The 22-year-old boasts a 34:49 10km personal best, which she ran in the tough Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K for a fifth-place finish last year.

She has moved past her uncertainty about which distance best suits her talents and is eager for a breakthrough season.

“I think it's all about training, motivation, and the support I get from my coaches. I had actually given up running because I couldn't agree on what my best distance was with my former coach,” More said.

“My new coach, Violet Semenya, told me to just give it a try again and see where it takes us. So now I’m focusing on 10km races, and there’s some light.”