Mulaudzi shines again as Ndiwa triumphs in SA debut at Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K
- Mosibodi Whitehead
- Jul 13
- 3 min read
Kabelo Mulaudzi extended his sub 28-minute run to three consecutive races, clocking a personal best of 27:41 to win the highly contested Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K on Sunday 13 July 2025 as Kenya's Clare Ndiwa crossed the finish line in 30:50 to triumph in the women’s race.
Paced by Olympic 1500m semi-finalist Ryan Mphahlele and facing stiff competition from defending champion Elroy Gelant and the fastest man in the field, Vincent Kipkorir (27:08), Mulaudzi delivered a dominant performance on the day - capitalising on near-perfect racing conditions.
The Boxer Athletics Club ace broke away from the lead bunch just after the 8km mark to win his second straight Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES race of 2025 after claiming victory in Cape Town on 11 May in 27:49. As he did in The Mother City, Lesotho's Kamohelo Mofolo finished as the runner-up to set a new national record of 27:47, while Kipkorir grabbed third in 27:48.
Speaking after the race, 27-year-old Mulaudzi said he was happy to take the win, even though the original goal was to challenge the South African 10km record of 27:28 set by Adrian Wildschutt at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K in April.
"The competition was good. The field was full of the fast guys. I'm very happy to win the race," said Mulaudzi who is coached by Richard Mayer. "My target was to break the national record which ended up not happening today. I think the pace was a bit slow in the first 5km which is why I ended up missing the record."
"It wasn't meant to be, but this is not the end of the day, as I'll try to break the record again in future. For now my goal is to win the two remaining Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES events in TSHWANE and JOBURG."
For winning the race (R30 000) in the fifth 27-minute 10km of his career and dipping under 27:45 (R80 000) Mulaudzi pocketed R110 000 in total as the top ten men finished inside 28:30 with veteran Stephen Mokoka finishing as the first 40-year-old in 28:37.
In the women's race, Ndiwa made a resounding South African debut as she produced a lighting fast 30:50 in a tight finish against compatriot Janet Mutungi who came home three seconds after her. Pre-race favourite and 2022 champion Jesca Chelangat was third in 30:58 as Glenrose Xaba took fifth spot (31:50) to complete the race as the first South African woman. Speaking through a translator, the 20-year-old Ndiwa says she surprised herself to win the race.
"I'm happy to win, especially because it's my first time racing in this country," said Ndiwa. "The race was well-organized and the ladies gave me a tough time on the road. Surely, I'm going to come back to compete here in South Africa again."
"Boasting a sold out field of 10 000 runners, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K once again delivered world-class elite racing," says Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and Founder of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES. "Congratulations to our men’s and women’s champions - Kabelo Mulaudzi and Clare Ndiwa - who proved to be the best of the best on the day. Durban’s fast, flat route never disappoints and continues to attract top performances. We are also incredibly grateful to the thousands of runners who took to the streets - your energy is what makes this event so special. Without you, none of this would be possible. A heartfelt thank you to all our event sponsors and partners for their unwavering support. Their continued commitment plays a pivotal role in elevating the standard of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES and allows us to deliver an unforgettable race experience for both elites and social runners alike."
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