Seem here: Kenyan, William Sitonik will line up at the 2019 FNB Durban 10K CITYSURFRUN this coming Sunday 13 October 2019.
Photo Credit: Rossa Associati
Kenyan, William Sitonik will line up at the 2019 FNB Durban 10K CITYSURFRUN this coming Sunday 13 October 2019.
The women have been dominating the limelight in the build-up to the 2019 event, and rightfully so with the stellar field assembled. However, in tradition with the FNB Run Your City Series’ objective of providing South Africa’s best with some of the world’s best opposition on SA Soil, the race has added 25-year-old Kenyan, William Sitonik to the men’s line up.
Sitonik announced his arrival on the global stage by winning the 2000m and 3000m at the World Youth Championships in 2011. He went on to claim the bronze medal in the 5000m at the World Junior Championships in 2012.
A sub 27 minute 10 000m athlete (Sitonik clocked 26:54.66 in Eugene, Oregon in 2016), Sitonik boasts an average time of 27:37.00 in the 10 000m and 13:23.91 in the 5000m, a clear indication of speed.
The Copenhagen Half Marathon on 15 September this year has seen some of the top contenders for the FNB Durban 10K CITYSURFRUN put in some impressive performances. So too has William Sitonik. On his way to his third fastest half marathon time, Sitonik went through 5km in 13:54, 15km in 44:01 and 20k in 60:14. While that is impressive running, his 60:47 half marathon best, run in Azpeitia (Spain) on 30 March this year, is even more impressive.
A clear threat come race day, Sitonik is one of three athletes in the field who can boast an IAAF Gold Label status. Another athlete being 34-year-old Kenyan, Wilfred Kimitei who boasts a best of 28:02 for 10km run in 2016. However, it is his 59:40 half marathon time run at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in February 2018 that will raise the eyebrows.
With race favourite Stephen Kissa openly targeting a sub 27-minute clocking on 13 October, expect both Sitonik and Kimitei to make their presence felt on race day.
“I am not coming to Durban on holiday,” says Sitonik. “The FNB Durban 10K CITYSURFRUN has developed a reputation for being fast, and if Stephen (Kissa) is looking to run that fast, then I will need to bring my best form and give him a challenge.”
Kimitei will be relying on his “big match temperament” and his ability as an athlete to make his presence felt. In 2016 he won the silver medal in the 10 000m at the Africa Championships, a mere second behind South Africa’s Stephen Mokoka. Kimitei also finished third in the 10 000m in the Kenyan Olympic trails that year.
The FNB Run Your City Series consists of four events: the FNB Cape Town 12 ONERUN (5th anniversary in 2019), FNB Joburg 10K CITYRUN (4th anniversary in 2019), FNB Durban 10K CITYSURFRUN (3rd anniversary in 2019) and FNB Maputo 10K CITYRUN (inaugural event on 10 November 2019).
Exhilarating mass participation road races, each event celebrates the splendour of its host city. Runners (and walkers) will be treated to a journey that will highlight iconic landmarks and feature lively performances on route.
Over the short period of 5 years, the series has grown to over 40 000 runners in the three cities and has attained IAAF Bronze Label Status in two events (FNB Cape Town 12 ONERUN and FNB Durban 10K CITYSURFRUN). The Durban race is now chasing Gold Label Status. The significance of that cannot be underestimated. Label Status means that the FNB Run Your City Series will attract some of the best athletes in the world, which means that South Africa’s top athletes get to race the best on home soil. As a result, fast times will be recorded on the African Continent.
Over the past 5 years the series has delivered compelling racing and fast times which will now be shared with the world through the process of a Livestream. The FNB Durban 10K CITYSURFRUN will be livestreamed as was the Cape Town leg of the FNB Run Your City Series.
EVENT INFORMATION: FNB Durban 10K CITYSURFRUN
| Date: | Sunday 13 October 2019 |
| Venue: | Start – Blue Lagoon (Athlone Drive) / Finish – Beachfront Precinct (near The Bike and Bean |
| Charities: | When entering online runners can choose to support one (or all five) of the event’s charities 1. The Reach For A Dream Foundation, 2. TREE, 3. Durban & Coast SPCA, 4. LIV Village and 5. iThemba Lethu. |
| Prize Purse: | R250 000 / View the entire Prize Purse Breakdown here: http://bit.ly/2MHQ4fd |
| Website: | www.durban10k.com |
IN THE NEWS: The FNB Run Your City Series has implemented a Single-Use Plastic (SUP) Management Campaign that aims to drastically reduce the usage of single-use plastics by 85% at all three events. “The aim of the FNB Run Your City Series’ SUP Management Campaign is to drastically reduce the usage of single-use plastics by 85% at all three events. Our ultimate goal is to host a mass participation road running series that is plastic free,” says Michael Meyer, Managing Director Stillwater Sports.
About the FNB Run Your City Series:
FNB is proud to once again bring you the FNB Run Your City Series which comprises of three unique mass participation events that integrate business involvement, family, diversity, investment in community, world class achievement and fun for all participants, both individuals and businesses alike.
Each of the races are developed to take participants through the historical routes around each city, thereby adding a tourism element to each race, making it more than a race but an economic opportunity for each community.
The FNB Run Your City Series is made up of three races around South Africa, namely, the FNB Cape Town 12 ONERUN, the FNB Joburg 10K CITYRUN and the FNB Durban 10K CITYSURFRUN.
For further information please visit www.runyourcityseries.com
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