'I've been training hard and the results are starting to show' - Mulaudzi ahead of Hollywoodbets 10k

Collen Mulaudzi will line up for the inaugural Hollywoodbets Durban Summer 10k race as the favourite to claim the top honours. The race, which starts and finishes at the Kings Park Athletics Stadium is happening on Sunday and carries a big fat cheque of R15 000 for both men's and women's race winners.

Mulaudzi who recently came third in a personal best of 28:26 in the Absa DURBAN 10k CITY RUN which incorporated the SA Championships is the second-fastest invited elite athlete after Gladwin Mzazi. The absence of Mbuleli Mathanga, who is going to race overseas next weekend, means the race and handsome prize purse are there for the taking for athletes from outside of KwaZulu-Natal. Mulaudzi, Mzazi and Olympian Desmond Mokgobu are just a few of the top runners that have been invited to take part in what will surely be an exciting men's race, while The Phalula twins will feature in the women's event.

Speaking to the #TheTopRunner, Mulaudzi played down the favourite tag despite admitting that preparations had gone well. He expects to put in a solid performance. "The preparations have gone quite well for me. I can say I'm ready for the race on Sunday," said Venda born athlete.

"I don't want to say I'm the favourite to win the race. Remember even during the SA 10km Championship, almost 95 percent of people never expected me to claim a podium finish. I surprised many people with my performance. Since I came back to athletics after I took a break to focus on other things - I have been training hard in order to be in a good shape. In our training group (Sponge Group) we have been putting in extra effort and the results are starting to show," he explained.

The 30-year-old Boxer Athletics Club athlete is banking on the flat course in order to clock good time in a race which is likely to be his last for the year. "I heard that 70 percent of the route is the same as the one of SA 10km Championship and if it's like that then it's good one," explains the man who represented South Africa in 2020 World Half Marathon Championship in Poland where he stopped the clock at 1:00:51.

" That route was fast despite having that one hill which gave me problems. I have to see on the race day what the route looks like. I think every athlete is aiming to win that R15 000 then it means the race will be competitive from the start. That's good money for the 10k race. If I can run a time of 28 minutes then this would my last race for the year," he said.