Kisumu, Sunday
In a breathtaking display of raw power and chess-like strategy, South Africa’s Callum Ormiston described his triumph in the elite men’s 153-kilometre road race at the 2026 CAC Road Cycling African Championships as a literal dream come true.
On a scorching Kisumu day, Ormiston successfully dethroned the reigning continental kings, Team Eritrea, following a brutal, high-stakes tactical war on the tarmac.
Ormiston produced a commanding, career-defining performance to wrest away the coveted African crown, crossing the finish line in a blistering cumulative time of 3:44:02.
The South African powerhouse managed to hold off a furious late charge from Morocco's Driss El Alouani, who claimed silver at 3:44:22, while Eritrea's Hebron Berhane was forced to settle for bronze in 3:44:36.
South Africa's Callum Ormiston celebrates after crossing the finish line to win the Elite Men's 153-kilometre Road Race at the CAC Road Cycling African Championships in Kisumu on Sunday. Photo - CAC Media
Reflecting on the grueling battle, Ormiston admitted that Eritrea’s sheer strength in numbers and legendary, well-drilled race tactics had threatened to turn the 153km assignment into an impossible mission for the South African squad.
“I knew how tough it would be. Eritrea were pretty strong and they had numbers and solid tactics,” a jubilant Ormiston remarked, his jersey soaked in sweat. “They are the defending champions for a reason, and being able to take the title from them is pretty awesome.”
Faced with a formidable Eritrean block, the South Africans knew they had to fight fire with flawless tactical execution. The race unfolded at a relentless, heart-pounding tempo, where surviving the technical, rubber-burning corners of the Kisumu circuit required absolute precision.
Ormiston explained that his team had to continuously clamp themselves to the front of the roaring peloton, burning vital energy just to protect their real estate and prevent Eritrea from dictate-controlling the pace.
“It was very tactical in the laps, and I knew we had to be at the front because it’s a lot easier through the corners,” he said.
Team tactics: Eritrean riders throw down the gauntlet in the Elite and Under-23 Men's 153-kilometre Road Race at the CAC Road Cycling African Championships in Kisumu. Photo - CAC Media
But Ormiston was playing the long game. Rather than exhausting his engines on the flat, winding straights, the South African strategically marked the course's punishing climbs as his ultimate launchpad, trusting his climbing genetics to deliver the knockout blow.
“For me, the plan was to wait for the climbs because that is where I find my strengths. I dug in deep and managed to do alright, and I’m pretty happy,” he said with a grin. “That’s exactly how I like to win a race—just break away.”
The sweet taste of victory was amplified by the fact that Ormiston had spent countless sleepless nights visualizing this exact golden moment. Yet, as the finish line loomed, the sheer gravity of dethroning Africa’s cycling titans only truly sunk in during the race’s dying seconds.
“I was dreaming about it. I didn’t believe it until I got to the last corner, to be honest. I was super happy,” he confessed. “For me, this title means a lot.”
Team Kenya riders line up ahead of the Elite and Under-23 Men's 153-kilometre Road Race at the CAC Road Cycling African Championships in Kisumu. Photo - CAC Media
True to the ethos of the rainbow nation, Ormiston immediately redirected the spotlight to his teammates, praising the selflessness of a squad that rode themselves into the ground to execute the master plan.
“We worked hard and we had a team plan. We stuck together and everyone did their job, and we are super proud,” he said.
The historic victory officially cemented South Africa’s absolute supremacy at the continental showpiece, capping their campaign at the absolute summit of the medal standings with a staggering haul of 13 medals—five gold, five silver, and three bronze.
For Ormiston, lifting the African crown wasn’t just a personal victory; it was a loud, unmissable message to sports administrators back home about the power of institutional backing.
“It shows our federations that nothing is easy to get here, and it shows they can back us and support us in the future,” he stated emphatically.
Dash for bronze: From left to right: Charles Kagimu (Uganda), Neriah Meunir Sow (Senegal), Eritrea's Hebron Berhane and Rwanda's Berhane Hebron fight for third place in the Elite and Under-23 Men's Road Race in Kisumu on Sunday. Berhane snatched the bronze in the Elite race while Meunir Sow was ranked top in the Under-23 category. Photo - CAC Media
Leading results from the Elite and Under-23 Men’s 153-kilometre Road Race:
- Callum Ormiston (South Africa) 3:44:02
- Driss El Alouani (Morocco) 0:00:20 behind
- Hebron Berhane (Eritrea) 0:00:34 behind
- Charles Kagimu (Uganda)
- Neriah Meunir Sow (Senegal)
- Merhawi Kudus (Eritrea)
- Shemu Nsengiyumva (Rwanda)
- Samuel Niyokuru (Rwanda)
- Awet Aman (Eritrea)
- Gustav Basson (South Africa)
