Competition for SA team spots at national cross country trials

Elite distance runners from across South Africa will converge on Tshwane and Whiteriver on Friday and Saturday for the ASA Cross Country Trials, to compete for spots in the national team for the 2026 World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida in January.

On Friday, the national senior trials will be held in conjunction with the USSA Cross Country Championships which will be hosted by Tshwane University of Technology.

The senior men's 10km trials race, starting at 11am, will feature 32 athletes including the likes of SA cross country champion Kabelo Mulaudzi (representing Central Gauteng Athletics) and national marathon record holder Elroy Gelant (Athletics Central North West).

In the senior women's 10km contest at 11am, the line-up of 24 runners includes SA champion Glenrose Xaba, her in-form Athletics Gauteng North teammate Karabo Mailula and CGA star Cacisile Sosibo.

The senior trials also include 2km races, from which the national team will be selected for the mixed relay race at the World Cross Country Championships.

The men's field, which gets underway at 10.40am, will feature 18 athletes, spearheaded by SA 2km champion Boikanyo Motlhamme and his CGA teammate Ryan Mphahlele, who recently represented South Africa in the 1500m event at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

The women's line-up is led by national 2km champion Carmie Prinsloo. Their race starts at 10.10am.

On Saturday, the national junior trials will be held in conjunction with the SA Schools Cross Country Championships, hosted by Rob Ferreira High School in Whiteriver, Mpumalanga.

The Under-20 men's 8km race will be held at 8.55am and the Under-20 women's 6km event is at 9.20am.