The Johannesburg Harriers Athletics Club is rebranding its long-running annual marathon with a new name – the Johannesburg City Marathon – and it has ambitious world-class goals.
The club, celebrating its 120th anniversary, is rebranding the yearly Jackie Gibson Marathon as the Johannesburg City Marathon, themed as the “The Race of Gold”.
The first marathon under the new name will be run on Sunday 24 March.
The club’s chairperson, Mkateko Mboweni-De Klerk, said this strategic rebranding aims to place the marathon as a contender for world status, alongside prestigious races like the Cape Town Marathon, Tokyo Marathon, and others.
“Johannesburg, one of Africa’s biggest cities, deserves a marathon of its own,” said Mboweni-De Klerk.
The club hopes to recapture the city’s “golden days” of running with the motto “The Race of Gold”, attracting both local and international elite runners.
The marathon promises a challenging course with three categories: 10km, 21km, and 42km.
The 42km route is officially approved as a qualifier for the Comrades Marathon.
The race will begin near the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve at the Kibler Park Recreation Centre. Runners will tackle the M1 North incline into the city, cross the scenic Nelson Mandela Bridge, peaking at the heart of the city at Constitution Hill, and finishing back at the Kibler Park Recreation Centre.
Pictured above: The team organising the new Johannesburg City Marathon.
Image source: Dylan Mohlala
