Former national champion Elroy Gelant will aim to reclaim the men's long-course crown, while Cacisile Sosibo will target her first gold medal in the women's version of the race, at the ASA Cross Country Championships to be held at Curro Hazeldean High School in Tshwane on Saturday.
In the men's 10km event, 40-year-old national marathon record holder Gelant will hope to hold off challenges from younger opponents.
The experienced athlete will be turning out in the colours of Athletics Central North West (ACNW), will be confident of putting up a fight. And in the absence of Kabelo Mulaudzi, who is not in the entry lists after winning the national title in the last three years, Gelant's strongest challenge could come from former SA marathon champion Bennet Seloyi who competes in the colours of Central Gauteng Athletics (CGA).
Sosibo, who won the national half-marathon title on the road in Gqeberha in June, will fancy her chances in the absence of defending champion, Glenrose Xaba who has opted to give this year's cross country championships a miss in order to focus on road races, leaving Sosibo to be the firm favourite in an otherwise wide open field.
Over shorter distances, Sibusiso Msibi and Karabo More will turn out in defence of the senior men's and women's 4km titles they won last season. Both athletes will face stacked fields, however, with a long list of runners lining up among the contenders for the national crowns.
SWART FAVOURITE IN 2KM
In the 2km event, Christopher Swart (ACNW) will be the favourite in the men's race, and More (who is in the entry list for both the women's 2km and 4km contests) will be difficult to beat if she attempts the double.
Athletes across all age groups, from sub-youth to masters divisions, will compete over a range of distances at the ASA Cross Country Championships. The first race on Saturday is scheduled to start at 7.30am and the programme is expected to conclude around 5.30pm.