Bennet Seloyi aims for his first podium finish at the Absa Joburg 10K

Reigning SA Marathon Champion Bennet Seloyi feels recent strong performances over 10km have set him up perfectly for a first podium finish in the Absa Run Your City Series at the Absa Joburg 10K on National Heritage Day, September 24.

Seloyi is certainly inching closer to the podium places, securing a strong fourth-place finish in last Saturday’s Hollywoodbets Durban 10km, just a week after finishing sixth at the Absa Run Your City Tshwane 10K.

“When I run a tough course, it builds me in such a way that when I go and run a flat course, I feel lighter,” Seloyi said, reflecting on his sixth position on the hilly course in the nation’s capital that set him up for his 28:29 in Durban.

The 24-year-old has already delivered on his promise to make his first year running for a professional club memorable by producing his first 28-minute 10km.

The Thembisa resident believes that the demanding course for the Absa Run Your City Joburg 10K, as well as the altitude, favours strength-based athletes like him.

The 2025 season has been the best of the Boxer Athletics Club ace’s fledgling career, as he improved on his 10km best twice and dipped under 29 minutes for the first time.

Seloyi ran a lifetime best of 28:12 for eighth position at the Absa Run Your City Durban 10K on 13 July, finishing ahead of the likes of Stephen Mokoka, Thabang Mosiako, and Namakoe Nkhasi.

He says he owes this season’s success to his coach Best Ngwenya and training partners at the United Training Club in Kempton Park.

“My coach has emphasised the importance of running 10km races so that it can boost my speed before I race a marathon,” explained the national marathon champion, who holds a 42.2km personal best of 2:17:11, which he set at last year’s Sanlam Cape Town Marathon.

He claimed victory at the Athletics South Africa (ASA) Marathon Championships in Cape Town in February, clocking 2:20:12 in strong winds in the colours of Central Gauteng Athletics.

“The plan is to run a personal best over the marathon this year, which I’ll start working towards after the Absa Run Your City Joburg 10K,” Seloyi said.

“I have my eye on the top three, although nothing is guaranteed because it’s ultimately up to the body. But that is my aim, because I’ve run all of these Absa races and got top-10 finishes, so I need a top three. That’s what I’ll be trying for. I can’t fail. I must force it.”