The cream of South Africa’s Road Running elite will line-up for the richest 10km road race on the continent when the Hollywoodbets 10km race takes place in Durban on Sunday 3 September.
New kid on the block Kabelo Mulaudzi from the Boxer Club will be looking to make it back-to-back victories after he won the inaugural Absa Run your City Series 10km race in a blistering time of 29:12 in Tshwane over the weekend.
Mulaudzi stunned the big guns at the recent Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10k on 9 July by not only claiming victory, but also by becoming one of only six South Africans to dip under 28min in the 10k, thereby entering the level of world class.
Kabelo smashed 35seconds off his PB in winning the RYCS Durban 10k, clocking 27;56. He followed this up with his win in Tshwane. It will be interesting to see if he will be able to continue his superb form when he returns to Durban for the fast and flat Hollywoodbets 10k on Sunday.
Top three performances
10k PB – 27:56
1st Absa RYCS Durban 10k
4 x SA Representative
Recent Results
1st Absa RYCS Durban 10k – 27:56 (PB; 5th fastest ever time by SA Athlete)
1st Absa RYCS Tshwane 10k – 29:12
Thabang Mosiako – Nedbank
Thabang Mosiako was the toast of the town in 2017 when he won the SA 5000m title and his star was on the rise.
A brutal attack on him in January 2018 saw him lie in a 3-week coma. When he awoke, the fears were, he’d never run again.
Thabang though fought back, represented South Africa in March that year at the Africa Cross Country Championships and in 2020, in the middle of COVID made the move from Potchefstroom where he was based, to PE to train with the Legendary, Mike Mbambani.
Fast forward three years and Thabang is now the 4th fastest ever South African over 10km, is the only South African to have broken the magical 28min mark in the same year and is the current SA Half Marathon Champion. The rejuvenation is complete.
Thabang will be showing his magic at the 2023 Hollywoodbets Durban 10k
Top three performances
10km PB – 27:52
2023 SA Half Marathon Champion – 60:29
5 x SA Representative
Recent Results:
3rd Absa RYCS Gqeberha 10k – 27:52 (PB; 4the fastest ever time by SA athlete)
3rd Absa RYCS Durban 10k – 27:59
2nd NBM Choose to Challenge 10k – 28:51
1st Despatch Half Marathon – 63:36
1st NMB ½ Marathon (SA Champs) – 60”29
Mbuleli Mathanga – Phantane
Mbuleli is one of the hardest athletes on the circuit. Not shy to lead from the front and set the pace, Mbuleli is known as fierce competitor who will not give an inch and if you show any sign of weakness, he will take full advantage, this was very much in evidence when he destroyed a quality field at the Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon. Mathanga came desperately close to breaking 28min in 2022 at the RYCS Durban 10k, but a sprained ankle 7km into the race put paid to that hope
Top three performances
10K PB – 28:03
Totalsports Two Oceans Half Marathon Champion
2 x SA Representative
Recent Results
7th Absa RYCS Gqeberha 10k – 28:08 (his second best time ever)
1st Totalsports Two Oceans – 63:57
2nd Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi ½ – 65:58
Elroy Gelant – Boxer
Elroy Gelant is a legend in South African Road Running. Elroy is one of the most versatile athletes in South Africa, lethal over distances ranging from 5000m to the Marathon, Elroy has been a trail blazer and inspiration for many young athletes. The former SA 5000m record Holder holds not only 6 Titles in his career, but has represented South Africa on 21 occasions, including twice competing at the Olympics.
Top three performances
5000m – 13:04.88 (
10K PB – 28:18
21 x SA Representative
Recent Results
4th NMB ½ Marathon – 61:30 (his 2nd best time ever in a ½ Marathon)
4th Absa RYCS Tshwane 10k – 28:36 (his 2nd best ever time in a 10k)
2nd Totalsports Two Oceans ½ – 64:05
Mathews Leeto – Hollywoodbets
Mathews Leeto – Rejuvenated. Since joining Hollywood Athletics Club, Mathews Leeto has found his athletic career rejuvenated. The 33-year-old has gone from strength to strength, first equaling his 10k PB (28:49) in April before lowering it twice. He now boasts a best of 28:25. But it is his aggressive front running style that has caught the eye of the road running pundits. It was the aggressive display at the SA Half Marathon Championships that saw him drag the field to its fastest finish in years, and him to a new Half Marathon PB by almost 3minutes. Mathews has made no secret about the fact that come 3 September at the Hollywoodbets Durban 10k, he means business. The pace is going to be fire.
Top three performances
10K PB – 28:25
Half Marathon PB – 61:34
Represented South Africa at the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia this year.
Recent Results
7th Absa RYCS Durban 10k – 28:25 PB
8th NMB ½ Marathon – 61:34 PB (by 3min)
Collen Mulaudzi – Hollywoodbets
Collen Scooh Mulaudzi – tough, resilient, a fighter. Collen is well known to drive the pace in races, to surge when least expected and to make a race hard. Expect nothing less from the three-time SA Representative who has made it clear, “The title stays at home this year.” Collen will mean business at the Hollywoodbets Durban 10k on Sunday 3 September.
Top three performances
10K PB – 28:26
Half Marathon PB – 60:51
3 x SA Representative
Recent Results
10th Absa RYCS 10k – 28:35 (2nd best time ever)
9th NMB ½ Marathon – 62:35 (4th best time ever)
Jobo Khatoane
33-year-old Jobo Khatoane is one of a number athletes from the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho who are making inroads in South African and International Road Running. Jobo has represented his home nation on four occasions. He is known for his fierce attacking style of running and pushed Mbuleli Mathanga hard at the Totalsports Two Oceans Half Marathon this year, but had to settle for 3rd. He turned the tables on Mathanga two weeks later at the Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Half Marathon, when he beat him decisively.
Top three performances
10K PB – 29:12
Half Marathon PB – 62:25
MarathonPB – 2:!6.49
Recent Results
3rd Totalsports Two Oceans 1/2 – 64:13
1st Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi ½ – 64:09
Neheng Khatala
Ney, as Neheng Khatala is affectionately known as, is class. Up until June this year she held four National Records of Lesotho, the 10 000m (33:27.35), 10km (32:06), Half Marathon (69:57 – lost the record to Blandina Makatisi) and the Marathon (2:28.06 – this time saw Neheng represent Lesotho at the 2021 Olympic Games in the Marathon). Neheng brings a hunger and passion to her running that sees her challenge for podiums, clearly evident in the hard-fought 3rd place at the RYCS Cape Town leg in windy conditions, in a race in which she nevertheless was a mere 7 seconds off her 10km PB.
Top three performances
10K PB – 32:06
Half Marathon PB – 69:57
Marathon 2:28.06
Recent Results
5th Absa RYCS Gqeberha 10l – 32:45
3rd Absa RYCS Cape Town 10k – 32:13 (her 2nd best time ever)
6th Absa RYCS Durban 10k – 32:24
5th Absa RYCS Tshwane 10k – 33:37
Irvette van Zyl
Arguably one of the most versatile racers on the South African road running circuit, Irvette van Zyl is undoubtedly a hard nut to crack. An incredible range sees her with the 4th fastest 10km time and the second fastest marathon time (32:06 and 2:26.11 respectively) for a South African. Irvette has racked up 6 National titles in a career that spans two decades of competitive racing, set a Women’s only World Record in the 50km and has donned the Green and Gold of South Africa 8 times, including three Olympic Games.
Top three performances
10K PB – 32:06
Marathon PB – 2:28.06
50km PB – 3”04.23
Recent Results
9th SPAR Durban – 34:20
7th SPAR Pretoria – 35:04(A)
1st Totalsports Womens 10k JHB – 34:58
45th World Marathon Championships – 2:38.32
Tayla Kavanagh
A young protégé when she won the South African 10km title at the tender age of 19 in 2021, Tayla Kavanagh is undoubtedly one of South Africa’s most talented athletes. Boasting a PB of 32:10 in the 10km, and her win at the inaugural South African 5km Championships on 17 June is a true testament to her talent. That win has seen Tayla selected for the World Running Championships in Riga, Latvia at the end of September.
Top three performances
10K PB – 32:10
SA 5km Champion
2021 SA 10km Champion
Recent Results
1st SA 5km Championships – 16:45(A)
8th SPAR Gqeberha 10k – 33:11
8th SPAR Durban 10k – 34:18
1st SPAR PMB 10k – 34:07
Cian Oldknow
They call her Miss PB for a reason. 22 Personal Best times in 2 years over distances ranging from the 800m to the Half Marathon have deservedly earned 26-year-old Cian Oldknow that accolade.
A two-time SA representative, Cian has brought her 10km best time down from 34:14 in 2021 to 32:49 in 2023. She was the top South African finisher at the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia this year and will be heading to the World Running Championships in Riga, Latvia on 1 October for the Half Marathon. The latter coming off a 6minute Half Marathon PB run in June this year.
Top three performances
10K PB – 32:49
Half Marathon PB – 70:48
3rd SA Half Marathon Championships 2023
Recent Performances
5th SPAR Gqeberha 10k – 32:49 (PB)
4th SPAR Pretoria 10k – 34:16
3rd SA ½ Marathon Championships – 70:48
Cacisile Sosisbo
A two-time South African representative, Cacisile is a late bloomer. But that has not stopped her from stamping her mark on the South African Road Running scene. Always a competitor and a challenger for the podium, she was third at the Nelson Mandela Bay Half Marathon in June with a huge new personal best, taking 8 minutes off her previous best, Cacislie will be out to defend her 2022 Hollywoodbets Durban 10k title from 2023 and will be sure to be in great shape of the race come 3 September.
Top three best performances
10km PB: 32:58
Half Marathon PB – 69”46
2022 Hollywoodbets Durban 10k winner (defending champion) – 33:07
Recent Results:
2nd SA ½ Marathon Championships – 69:46
6th SPAR Durban 10k – 33:42
8thAbsa RYCS Durban 10k – 33:03
6th Absa RYCS Tshwane 10k – 34:39
Phantane AC
Gerda Steyn:
SA Marathon Record Holder: 2:25.28
Holder of two of the top five SA Marathon times run (2:25.28 and 2:26.51)
First woman to break six hours for the Comrades Marathon Up Run (5:58.53 – smashed the previous record by just under 15min)
Broke the 24-year-old course record by winning the 2023 Comrades marathon, running 5:44.54, taking 11 min off the previous best set by Frith van der Merwe in 1989
Four time consecutive Two Oceans Marathon winner
Back-to-back Two Oceans Marathon records.
- She broke Frith van Der Merwe’s record of 3:30.36 run in 1989 when she ran 3:29.45 before breaking her own record in 2023, clocking 3:29.04
Top three best performances
10km PB: 32:24
SA Marathon Record Holder: 2:25.28
Comrades Marathon Record Holder: Up Run and Down Run
Recent Results
1st Totalsports Two Oceans 56km – 3:29.04
1st Comrades Marathon – 5:44.54
9th Absa RYCS Tshwane 10k – 35:23
