Damons targets breakthrough, Phalula eyes another strong showing at Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K

Image: Action Photo

After a positive start to the first half of the year, Bruce-Lynn Damons is confident of breaking new ground when he makes his Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K debut on Sunday, 13 July, while veteran Lebo Phalula looks to extend her excellent 2025 form.

A former 1500m specialist with a lifetime best of 3:40.05, the 29-year-old Damons has, in recent years, started stepping up to the 10km distance on the road. The 28:48 personal best he produced at the 2023 Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K hinted at his considerable potential - further underlined by his strong recent form. Since joining the Langa Athletics Club earlier this year, Damons has clocked a season’s best of 29:29 at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K on 11 May, earned a silver medal at the Western Province 10km Championships, and defended his title at the Gugs Youth Day 10km with a time of 29:36 five weeks later - all while continuing to dominate the 4km event at WPA Cross Country League races in June.

As one of a handful of Cape Town athletes able to mix it with South Africa’s top 10km contenders - most of whom live and train at altitude in Gauteng and the North West province - Manenberg-based Damons believes he is ready to deliver the best 10km performance of his career.

“We kicked off the season with two solid performances – the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K and the Western Province Athletics 10km Championships. It’s been a tough training block, and I’m proud to see the work begin to translate. I’m excited to run the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K because I’ve never run it before, and I hear it’s a fast race. My aim is to break my personal best and get close to a top ten finish,” says Damons.

Also eagerly anticipating the famously fast Durban course is Lebo Phalula. The fastest 40-year-old 10km female athlete in South Africa is enjoying a rich vein of form, having clocked 32:38 to place fifth at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K on 13 April, improving her own 40+ SA Women’s 10km record in the process.

A multiple former SA Champion and 2016 Olympian, Phalula credits her twin sister Lebogang and her husband Gladwin Mzazi for their unwavering support and the key role they play in her enduring success.

“My sister is always helping me,” says Phalula. “When I do my long run, she’s always there. It’s only discipline that keeps me going. If you want things, you need to take action. If you’re hungry, you need to work hard so that you can get what you want and live like a queen. I will try my best because I want to run sub-33. I will just go there and enjoy myself.”

“It’s incredibly rewarding to witness athletes stepping up to the 10km distance and showing consistent improvement within the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series,” says Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and Series Founder. “At the same time, seeing stalwarts like Lebo Phalula continue to grow stronger with age - defying expectations and inspiring the next generation - is truly special. The action is heating up in Durban, and we wish all the athletes the very best as they prepare to deliver exceptional performances at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K in 2025.”

CHARITY SUPPORT: The Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES proudly supports the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) as the official charity of the entire series of events. A non-profit leader in the fight against cancer since 1931, CANSA enables research, educates the public and advocates for and supports all people affected by cancer, while leading SA towards a cancer-free society. When entering an Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES event online, runners can show their support by donating towards CANSA. 

Prize Purse: The Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES boasts an impressive, combined prize purse of R1 610 000.00 in 2025. Each of the five events will feature a total prize allocation of R322 000. Of this, R252 000.00 will be dedicated to the Open Category, with R126 000.00 awarded to the Top 10 Open Men and R126 000.00 to the Top 10 Open Women. The top male and female finishers in each city will receive R30 000.00 each, with R25 000.00 going to second-place finishers and R20 000.00 to third-place finishers. 

Additionally, R70 000.00 will be allocated to Age Categories. The Age Category prize pool will reward the top three finishers in the Junior, 40–49, 50–59, 60–69, and 70+ age groups."

South African Athlete Incentives: The Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES also has an unprecedented “SA Athlete Prize Incentive Schedule” for 2025. Applying to all five races, the incentive schedule offers bonuses for exceptional performances. In the men’s category, bonuses will start for times faster than 28 minutes, with a substantial R200 000.00 bonus for breaking the 27-minute barrier. For women, bonuses begin for times faster than 32:08 minutes, with an impressive R200 000.00 incentive for breaking the 30:23 mark.

To further raise the stakes, a bonus of R50 000.00 will be awarded to the South African athlete who breaks the SA 10km record (at the time of the race). It is important to note that the R50 000.00 will be awarded to the fastest time.