Chris Mhlanga and Tayla Kavanagh delivered standout performances at the ASA 10km Championships on Saturday, held as part of the Northridge Mall Marathon in Mangaung. In wet, testing conditions, both athletes rose to the occasion to claim national titles in their respective races.
In the men’s race, Mhlanga showcased his finishing speed by winning a dramatic sprint to the line. Locked in a tight battle over the final kilometre, he surged ahead to secure victory in 29:00, earning his first national crown in the colours of Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA).
Pushing him all the way was 20-year-old Musawenkosi Mnisi of Athletics Gauteng North (AGN), who stopped the clock in the same time to take silver. Ultra-distance specialist Onalenna Khonkhobe displayed impressive range by closing well for the bronze medal in 29:07 for Athletics Central North West (ACNW).
“It was a bit of a hard race, especially with all the sharp turns on the route and the mud because the roads were wet. It was quite challenging,” Mhlanga said after the race. Preparing to represent South Africa at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee in January, he added: “I wasn’t expecting such a close race. I thought there would be a huge gap because of the hills, and I expected one of the guys to be in front.”
In the women’s race, Tayla Kavanagh delivered a commanding performance to take the title in 33:05, living up to expectations as the pre-race favourite. Representing KwaZulu-Natal Athletics (KZNA), Kavanagh controlled the pace throughout and ultimately crossed the line more than a minute ahead of her nearest challenger.
Karabo Mailula claimed silver for the second straight year, finishing in 34:20, while her AGN teammate Elizabeth Hutamo completed the podium in 34:59.
Kavanagh, who has enjoyed a breakthrough year—climbing to fourth on the all-time South African rankings and running sub-32 minutes twice over 10km—was elated to end her season on a high.
“I’m really thrilled with how today’s race went. The goal was to take the win today. That was the aim to end the year, so I was just really pleased with how I executed the race and come away with the win,” she said.
Reflecting on the conditions, she added: “The rain made the roads a little bit slippery, so on the corners you had to be cautious and my hands went out every now and then just to find my balance. But yesterday we had a particularly hot day here in Mangaung, so I was quite pleased that today was a bit cooler. I do prefer cooler conditions, so I would say the conditions were pretty good.”
Both champions leave Mangaung with momentum and confidence after standout performances to wrap up a memorable 2025 racing season.
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