Stephen Mokoka arrives at the Hollywoodbets Durban 10km not as a man winding down, but as a statesman of South African road running, still racing and still teaching.
At 40, with four Olympic Games, multiple World Championships, and five Shanghai Marathon victories behind him, the South African long-distance legend will be lining up at Kingsmead Stadium to test himself against the next wave, while offering them a warning.
“Many youngsters are racing too often and training too hard,” Mokoka cautioned at the pre-race press conference.
“That leads to muscle strain and long-term injuries. If you’re supposed to get 20 to 30 years out of your legs, you can cut that down to just five. You may be the best now, but once your body breaks down, people forget you quickly.”
It was advice delivered with the kind of gravity only a two-decade career can lend. Mokoka knows the traps: the lure of prize money, the rush of early success, the temptation to burn too brightly.
“Race less, stay healthy, and you’ll last longer,” he added.
“Money will always run faster than you. Let the banks keep it safe. Your health and longevity matter more.”
Record Numbers, Rich Rewards
His words carry even more weight given the stage he’s standing on. The 2025 edition of the Hollywoodbets Durban 10km has shattered all previous records since its launch in 2021.
💥 3 Top 10 finishes on the streets of the Mother City!🏖️🔥
Our Purple Power showed up and showed off at the ABSA Run Your City 10km this weekend!
– Stephen Mokoka placed 3rd (28:06) 🏃♂️
– Neheng Khatala placed 4th (32:55) 🏃♀️
– Tayla Kavanagh placed 6th (33:01)Purple vibes. Big… pic.twitter.com/LwN8WSRIHB
— Hollywood Athletics Club (@HWAthleticsClub) May 12, 2025
Last year, 8,500 runners packed the streets outside Hollywoodbets Sharks Stadium, but this year, the numbers have swelled to a staggering 12,000. This includes a powerful lineup of 72 elite athletes primed for battle.
The prize purse remains unmatched: R37,500 each for the men’s and women’s champions, In total, R357,500 is up for grabs. The race will be broadcast live on SABC, ensuring that the spirit of the Purple Team reaches living rooms across the country.
Hollywood 10K Male Contenders by George Sithole
The 2024 event was dominated by Lesotho’s Mountain Kingdom runners, with Neheng Khatala clinching the women’s title and Tebello Ramakongana narrowly edging out Elroy Gelant in a thrilling men’s finish. But this year, the script has shifted: Ramakongana won’t defend his crown, leaving the men’s race wide open for a new champion.
Men’s Race: Experience Meets Ambition
The men’s contest is set to be electric. Kabelo “Kabza The Fast” Mulaudzi, the 2023 winner and South Africa’s current road-running poster boy is back hunting another victory.
Hot on his heels is Thabang Mosiako, fresh from defending his Half Marathon title in style and winning the Foskor Half Marathon, which doubled as the ASA Championships.
But it won’t be a two-man duel. Mokoka is still in the mix, alongside rising talents like Siyabonga Ndlovu, who is making waves in shorter distances, and strong contenders such as Kamohelo Mofolo and Ayanda Ngcobo.
Women’s Race: Titans on the Line
If the men’s race looks open, the women’s race promises an outright war. National record-holder Glenrose Xaba (31:12) arrives in formidable form, aiming to add the Durban crown to her growing collection. But Joburg 10km champion Fridah Ndinda has her sights set on history by becoming the first woman to hold both titles simultaneously.
Standing in their way is defending champion Neheng Khatala, who thrives on the Durban route, and the “quietly dangerous” Tayla Kavanagh, whose season has been nothing short of electric.
With a 31:53 best, a Durban International 10km victory, and a Spar Pietermaritzburg win to her name, Kavanagh has the credentials to spoil the favourites’ script.
“Since this is a home race, I’m more excited than pressured,” Kavanagh said.
“I know Glenrose is targeting another national record, and that kind of pace will definitely pull the rest of us to faster times. Women’s running in South Africa is growing rapidly.
“The more we work together, the more we can achieve. When women push each other, great things happen.”
Hollywod 10K Female Press Conference Photo: George Sithole
Clash of Timelines
When the starter’s gun fires at 7:30am on Saturday, the Hollywoodbets Durban 10km will be a collision of philosophies: Mokoka’s seasoned call for patience and preservation against the surging ambition of athletes like Kavanagh, Xaba, and Mulaudzi.
For some, the prize purse and records will be the target. For others, it’s about pride, personal bests, and proving their place. But in the larger arc of South African running, Durban will once again echo with the story of the sport itself with endurance, ambition, and the eternal race against time.
Next stop after Durban is Johannesburg on Saturday, 13 September.
