The fastest South African in 2022 over 10km, Western Cape’s Anthony Timotheus, will be gunning for gold at the fifth annual Absa Run Your City Durban 10K on Sunday, 10 July.
There is a changing of the guard in South African athletics with the new generation standing up to be noticed. For almost a decade the likes of Stephen Mokoka, Elroy Gelant and Desmond Mokgubo have dominated the South African road-running scene. In 2021, Precious Mashele officially took over the mantle of king of the road over the shorter distances from Stephen Mokoka. Chasing him is the exciting new talent, Mbuleli Mathanga from KZN, as well as Anthony Timotheus from the Western Cape.
“We’re excited to see Anthony Timotheus in action at the Absa Run Your City Durban 10K in July. Anthony kept the SA flag flying high at the Absa Run Your City Durban 10K in May with his fifth overall finish and being the first South African to cross the line. As the fastest South African over 10km in 2022, his participation in Durban is sure to spark some serious competition which we always welcome as our goal is to encourage depth of performance as well as quality of performance at the Absa Run Your City Durban 10K,” said Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and Founder of the Absa Run Your City Series.
Timotheus made an emphatic breakthrough when he finished as the first South African in the 2022 Absa Run Your City Cape Town 10K on Sunday, 15 May. In the process, he took a whopping 17 seconds off his personal best (PB) time when he clocked 28:29. That time is also the fastest in the country in 2022 and earned him an invitation to the Absa Run Your City Durban 10K on 10 July, courtesy of the Elite Athlete Programme introduced by the organisers, Stillwater Sports, in 2022.
The objective behind the programme is to ensure that South Africa’s best middle and long-distance athletes compete in the Absa Run Your City Series and to provide them with incentive bonuses. For example, had Timotheus run the 28:29 in the upcoming Absa Run Your City Durban 10K, he would earn a R24 000 time bonus to go with the R9 000 for fifth place overall.
“I still get goosebumps when I think of that,” said Timotheus after being asked about his reaction to being the first South African over the line in Cape Town. “In the last 900m I was with Desmond (Mokgubo), Stephen (Mokoka) and Namakoe (Nkasi). When Desmond went, I went with him. In hindsight I should maybe have not gone with him immediately as I really battled in the final 200m and that’s where Namakoe passed me,” he added.
For Timotheus the breakthrough was not only a good PB, but also that he took some very big scalps, and his confidence has now gone up a notch or two.
“In Durban last year I ran 28:46. I had a few niggles in the lead-up to the race and so on race day I ran with Adam because he paces himself so well and I ended up equaling my PB. I also felt that it could have gone better had I been in 100% shape. So, Cape Town was massive for me. I even feel I had more in the tank and could have gone faster, so in Durban I have my sights set on a 28:10 to 28:20,” said Timotheus.
The Absa Run Your City Durban 10K is the big focus for Timotheus in 2022. “I’ve had a busy year already, but Durban will be my big focus this year and then I will go back into a winter type of training in preparation for 2023 and beyond.”
2022 has been quite the breakthrough year in so many aspects for Timotheus. Having concluded his teaching degree, he made the decision to focus on his running full time this year and for the next few years. “I want to give my running the attention it deserves and see what I can do before I go back to school (to teach). So, I made some changes at the end of 2021.”
He made the move to train with the legendary Zola Budd from January this year after having spent years with Glen Bentley at UWC.
“Mr Bentley is like a father figure to me and I will forever be grateful for his guidance over the years. We both, however, felt that in order for me to take it up a notch a change was necessary, and we thought that Zola would be the right move. He broke eight minutes for the first time over 3 000m, set a PB in the 5 000m (13:36.11) and of course smashed his road 10km PB. I knew I had something special in me for Cape Town as I did a solid tempo run on a hilly course in windy conditions at the Century City 10k in March. I will do something similar now in mid to late June as a ‘leg loosener’ for Durban where I want something special,” he emphasised.
Timotheus had a different approach to the race in Cape Town and has learned a valuable lesson from his performance. “In training I always felt good and knew I had it in me, but it just didn’t seem to come together. But then I spoke to John September, a legend in Western Province road running and held many provincial records and also to Uncle Gert Thys. September told me I need to race with my heart and just race and not worry too much about the time. Uncle Gert told me to focus and select my races and that’s what also hit me when I analysed Stephen’s approach to races. He focuses on specific races. I followed all that advice and look what it gave me. And as I said, I believe there was more in the tank,” said an excited Timotheus.
He was also very appreciative of the Elite Athlete Programme, the incentives on offer in Durban and the fact that there is such a series as the Absa Run Your City Series. “Usually at this time I would go overseas and run some 10k’s to try and get fast times, but now I do not need to do that. The series means I can prepare properly for Durban, not spend money on travel and not have to worry about travel fatigue and know I will be in a race that will allow me to get close to 28 minutes. This is a fantastic initiative,” he said.
Anthony Timotheus is not letting the fact that he is the fastest South African in 2022 over 10km interfere with his focus and preparation for Durban. “We have a plan and are preparing for it. As this will be the last big race of the year for me it will be important for me to make a statement to myself,” he concluded.
