Karabo More: SA 5km champion ready to conquer the road ahead

With her maiden national road running title in the bag, Karabo More could get the chance to measure her recent progress against the brightest star currently in South African middle-distance running — training partner and fellow Boxer Athletics Club runner Glenrose Xaba.

Running in the colours of Athletics Gauteng North (AGN), the 23-year-old More won the 5km event at the Athletics South Africa (ASA) Road Running Championships in Phalaborwa, Limpopo, last Saturday. This victory adds to the 4km cross-country crown she secured earlier in 2024.

“I feel incredibly excited, proud of myself, and maybe even a bit in disbelief,” More said, reflecting on the dominant win that saw her cross the finish line in 16:37. “It’s a reward for all the hard work, discipline, and the setbacks I’ve overcome along the way.”

She finished almost 20 seconds ahead of runner-up Zanthè Taljaard of Athletics Vaal Triangle (16:56), who was followed by KwaZulu-Natal Athletics’ Busisiwe Chamane (17:19).

Saturday’s performance in Limpopo will have come as little surprise to those who have been following the runner’s consistent improvement over the past 12 months.

This year alone, More — who is coached by Violet Semenya — has set personal bests in the 800m (2:07.68), 1500m (4:10.40), 5000m (15:51.84), and 10km (33:22). The latter mark was achieved at the Absa Run Your City Gqeberha 10K on April 13, where she dipped under 34 minutes for the first time to finish in seventh position.

Among her next targets is another strong performance at the Absa Run Your City Tshwane 10K, taking place in her adopted hometown on Sunday, August 24.

“This year has been amazing,” said the SA 1500m bronze medallist. “I think what’s going right is the combination of consistent training, smart pacing, and mental preparation — the things my coach always talks about.

“Mental strength is a crucial part of athletics. My coach has been instrumental in helping me fine-tune my strategy, and my teammates have been a huge source of motivation and support,” she said, paying tribute to her training partners — including SA 10km and marathon record holder Xaba.

If More is to take the title in Tshwane, she may have to get past Xaba, the winner of last year’s event in an impressive time of 31:51.

Xaba is also on a high after defending her national half-marathon title for the sixth time in Phalaborwa. The 21km race was incorporated into the Foskor Half-Marathon, where she stopped the clock at 1:10:03 — breaking the course record previously held by former world record holder Elana Meyer.

The Tshwane race will form part of a packed Women’s Month schedule for More, the reigning Boxer Super Run Durban 5km champion. She is also down to take part in the SPAR Grand Prix, the Totalsports Women’s Races, and the Absa Run Your City Tshwane 10K in August.

“My calendar is packed and it scares me a lot, but with my mindset, I will survive. I’m excited to see where this momentum takes me for the rest of the season,” she concluded.