The streets of Johannesburg turned into a grand stage on Heritage Day, where Kabelo Mulaudzi and Karabo Mailula wrote their names in bold across the asphalt of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K.
Mulaudzi, the hometown hero from Alexandra, ran like a man with the wind in his lungs and destiny on his heels.
For the first half, he tucked himself into the pack, calm as a predator stalking its prey.
Then, with a kick as sharp as a sprinter’s blade, he pounced on Rahima Moosa Street, surging ahead and leaving rivals gasping in his slipstream. He flew into Mary Fitzgerald Square with four fingers raised, a salute to his fourth straight series victory.
Mulaudzi stopped the clock at a record-smashing 28 minutes and 39 seconds, shattering the old mark of 28:51 set by Kenyan Gideon Kipngetich last year.
Elite Men’s Winner Kabelo Mulaudzi at Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K by Tobias Ginsberg
Tanzanian challenger Emanuel Dinday (28:45) gave chase but finished seven seconds later, while Mulaudzi’s Boxer AC teammate Bennett Seloyi, tasting the podium for the first time, rounded off the men’s top three in 28:51.
“It was a tactical race,” admitted Mulaudzi, who confessed that lining up against big names like Precious Mashele, Stephen Mokoka, Thabang Mosiako and Elroy Gelant had rattled him.
“But I told myself to focus on my own race.”
That self-belief has carried him through a season of brilliance: four consecutive series wins, three sub-28-minute runs, and now, the crowning glory of a home triumph.
“It’s the best season of my life,” he said, brimming with gratitude for his coach Richard Mayer, his club, his family, and his sponsors.
If Mulaudzi was the unstoppable locomotive on the men’s side, then Mailula was the runaway train in the women’s race.
The 23-year-old Tuks athlete broke free from the pack at the second kilometre and never looked back. Each stride stretched the gap, until she crossed the finish in 33:34, her maiden series win.
Elite Women’s Winner Karabo Mailula by Tobias Ginsberg
Kenya’s Florence Nyaingiri (35:17) chased home 1:34 adrift, while Zimbabwe’s Rutendo Nyahora sealed third in 36:35.
“I told myself I had to work harder after coming third last year,” Mailula said, glowing with the satisfaction of a plan perfectly executed.
“I knew where the course would bite, and I pushed harder there. I thank God I made it.”
As 14,400 runners painted the City of Gold is a Sea of Red, race founder Michael Meyer hailed the day as a fitting finale and celebration to a glittering season.
Sea of Red at the start of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K by Frank-Meyer
And fittingly, on Heritage Day, it was two South Africans, Mulaudzi and Mailula who carried the flag across the line first, their victories shining like medals etched into Joburg’s streets.
RESULTS: 2025 Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K
Date: Wednesday 24 September 2025
Start Time: 08:00
Start Venue: Lilian Ngoyi Street
Finish Venue: Rahima Moosa Street
ELITE MEN
1 Kabelo Mulaudzi (South Africa) 28:39, 2 Emanuel Dinday (Tanzania) 28:45, 3 Bennett Seloyi (South Africa) 28:51, 4 Aklilu Asfaw (Ethiopia) 28:54, 5 Benjamin Ratsim (Tanzania) 28:55, 6 Thabang Mosiako (South Africa) 29:05, 7 Namakoe Nkhasi (Lesotho) 29:12, 8 Stephen Mokoka (South Africa) 29:14, 9 Joseph Seutloali (Lesotho) 29:16, 10 Elroy Gelant (South Africa) 29:19
ELITE WOMEN
1 Karabo Mailula (South Africa) 33:44, 2 Florence Nyaingiri (Kenya) 35:17, 3 Rutendo Nyahora (Zimbabwe) 36:35, 4 Naomy Jerono (Kenya) 36:43, 5 Elizabeth Hutamo (South Africa) 36:45, 6 Samantha Coetzer (South Afirca) 36:55, 7 Cacisile Sosibo (South Africa) 37:08, 8 Evas Nasasira (Uganda) 37:21, 9 Violet Mogano (South Africa) 37:38, 10 Elizabeth Chemweno (Kenya) 37:56
PAST JOBURG 10K WINNERS:
2016
Men: Namakoe Nkhasi (Lesotho) 29:48
Women: Lebogang Phalula (South African) 35:33
2017
Men: Thabang Mosiako (South Africa) 29:51
Women: Glenrose Xaba (South Africa) 35:39
2018
Men: Filmon Ande (Eritrea) 29:27 / sets new course record
Women: Irvette van Zyl (South Africa) 33:51 / sets new course record
2019 – Men: Alfred Ngeno (Kenya) 29:16 / sets new course record; Women: Tadu Nare (Ethiopia) / 33:53
2020 COVID / No Event
2021 COVID / Virtual Event
2022 – Men: Nicholas Seoposengwe (South Africa) 00:29:42 / New Course so New Course Record; Women: Emmaculate Achol (Kenya) 33:50 / New Course so New Course Record
2023 – Men: Namakoe Nkhasi (Lesotho) 29:07 / New Course so New Course Record; Women: Debash Desta (Ethiopia) 33:03 / New Course so New Course Record
2024 – Men: Gideon Kipngetich (Kenya) 28:51 / New Course Record; Women: Glenrose Xaba (South Africa) 31:55 / New Course Record
FIND YOUR FULL ABSA RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K RESULTS HERE:
Sea of Red at Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K by Charles Ndou
