Comrades Marathon Champion George Kusche Shifts Gears to High-Speed Road Racing
- George Kusche is moving from the gruelling world of Comrades racing to a much faster challenge in Tshwane
- The Comrades champion will face a strong field as he returns to the shorter road-racing distance
- Kusche has already set his sights on an ambitious target, but the high altitude could make things interesting
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Comrades Marathon champion George Kusche is changing his focus from endurance to speed as he prepares for the Absa Run Your City Tshwane 10K on 23 August 2026. The 28-year-old, who won the Comrades Marathon in June, is set to return to a distance much closer to his middle-distance roots.
Speaking to IOL Sport on 13 August, Kusche explained why the race matters to his broader development.
“It’s very important for me to run a fast 10km because I train as a marathon athlete year-round and then switch to Comrades-specific training in March,” he said.
Kusche has already shown he has the speed required. His personal bests include 13:28 for 5,000m and 28:56 for 10km, the latter recorded in Gqeberha two years ago.
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Tshwane altitude adds another challenge
The athlete is now hoping to dip under the 30-minute mark in Tshwane.
“I’d love to see if I can run sub-30 minutes, which would be a great time at altitude,” Kusche said.
“I’m curious to see how well I can do. I’m in decent shape and really looking forward to the challenge.”
Last year's race saw all 10 leading men finish inside 30 minutes despite the altitude.
Salem Kibet brings serious speed to Tshwane
A strong international challenge awaits Kusche, with Kenyan runner Salem Kibet also in the field. Kibet will head to Tshwane after posting a 27:29 personal best in Durban last month.
“I want to improve on my Durban performance and compete for the win,” Kibet said.
That sets up an intriguing test for Kusche, who will be stepping back into shorter-distance racing after his Comrades success. The Tshwane 10K will give him an opportunity to gauge his speed against one of the race’s leading contenders.
Source: Instagram
George Kusche opens up about Comrades Marathon stomach ordeal
Briefly News previously reported that George Kusche’s record-breaking Comrades Marathon victory came with an uncomfortable moment near the finish. The South African athlete later spoke candidly about the stomach trouble he experienced during the gruelling 85.7km race.
Despite the setback, Kusche maintained his pace and completed a historic performance on 14 June 2026.
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Source: Briefly News
