Uganda’s long-distance star Joshua Cheptegei delivered a commanding performance to win the 2026 Absa Run Your City 10K in Durban, South Africa, on Sunday, crossing the finish line in 27:19.Cheptegei led from the opening kilometres on the fast coastal course, finishing 10 seconds ahead of Kenya’s Salem Kibet, who clocked 27:29. Fellow Ugandan Emmanuel Kibet completed a strong showing for Uganda by taking third place in 27:32.The multiple Olympic and world champion reached the halfway mark in 13:48 before gradually pulling away from the lead pack. His winning time was just three seconds outside the South African All-Comers record of 27:16, which he set on the same course in 2018.Running along Durban’s beachfront and city streets, Cheptegei adopted an aggressive pace from the start as he sought to become the first athlete to run a sub-27-minute 10K on African soil. Although he fell just short of that milestone, he produced a trademark strong finish to seal his third victory in the Durban 10K.Speaking after the race, Cheptegei said it was special to return to a course that has brought him success over the years.“Durban has always been a special place for me. The support from the fans was incredible, and it pushed me throughout the race. I wanted to challenge the course record and possibly go under 27 minutes, but I am satisfied with the victory and the way I executed my race. It is always an honour to represent Uganda, and I look forward to the challenges ahead this season,” he said.Uganda’s impressive performance was further underlined by Emmanuel Kibet, who remained among the front runners throughout the race before producing a strong finish to secure third place in the highly competitive field.“Sharing the podium with Joshua is a proud moment for me. The pace was very fast from the beginning, but I stayed focused and believed I could finish among the top athletes. This result gives me confidence as I prepare for upcoming international competitions,” Kibet said.Uganda Athletics Federation president Dominic Otuchet hailed the performances, saying they reaffirm Uganda’s position among the world’s leading distance-running nations.“Joshua once again showed why he is among the greatest distance runners of his generation, while Emmanuel’s podium finish reflects the depth of talent that Uganda continues to produce,” Otuchet said.He said the performances by Cheptegei and Kibet demonstrate the strength of Uganda’s athletics development programmes and the country’s growing pool of elite distance runners.The victory provides another boost to Cheptegei’s preparations for the major marathon championships later this season.The post Cheptegei wins South Africa’s Absa Run Your City appeared first on The Observer Media Ltd.