'My aim is to run 2:10' - Mofokeng targets Durban International Marathon success

South African Marathoner Puseletso Mofokeng believes he has what it's takes to run a personal best time at the Durban International Marathon tomorrow (May 4). Mofokeng is among the South African top runners including former SA Marathon Champion Tumelo Motlagale and last year's runners-up, Mathews Leeto, that will be competing for the crown that goes with a cheque of R75 000 for a winner. Mofokeng - a member of Potchefstroom Track Club who trains under the watchful eye of Coach Jean Verster is positive that training to the race have been done properly. 

"The preparations have been well. I'm actually happy that I'm going to the race injury free. I have been in good shape throughout April so I'm hoping to put in a good performance at Durban International Marathon," explains Mofokeng, who clocked a lifetime best 14:05.89 over 5000m to take fourth position at the ASA Senior Track and Field Championships in Potchefstroom on 26 April.

Mofokeng in action at the 2024 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon where he produced his lifetime best 2:13:31. Photo Credit: Supplied.

That run over twelve and a half laps of the track was surely a product of the work the man who hails from the Free State town of Frankfurt had done to prepare for his European marathon debut in Italy last month. Mofokeng lined up at the Milano Marathon on 12 April but was forced to pull out before reaching the 30km mark due to extreme fatigue. It means that his 2:13:31 run for tenth spot at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon last October was the his last 42km race.

"In Milano, I headed to the race day with a positive attitude. I think around 18km, the body started stopped responding, then I started to drop the pace. As I continued, things became worse to the point where I decided to stop before 27km. I think lack of race fitness was the main factor as I had spent five months without racing. Maybe the nerves also got to me because it was my first time at an overseas race with all those big names,"he explained. 

Since Mofokeng's tough experience at the Milano Marathon, Elroy Gelant has set a new SA Marathon Record. The 32-year-old says seeing his training partner setting breaking the 26-year-old record by 57 seconds thanks to a remarkable 2:05:36 at the Hamburg Marathon has motivated their entire training group to push beyond their limits.

Mofokeng has been in good form in April 2025. Here he is pictured on his way to a 5000m personal best at the national championships on 26 April. Photo Credit: Potch Track Club.

"I'm very happy for Elroy and for the training group. It's a testimony to the strength of the partnership we all have. As a group, we support and learn from each other. Plus we share the ideas through the structure that our coach provides for us. It makes me proud to see my training partners strive and reach their goals. His performance inspires us to work hard and set more records."

Inspired by Gelant, Mofokeng is dreaming big ahead of his run in Durban on a course where he produced 2:18:37 for 19th position last year. His goal is to break the 2:10 barrier for the first time and he believes that it's possible with the usually good weather conditions that the Indian Ocean city enjoys at this time of the year.  "If you can check the weather conditions in Cape Town, it was windy but I managed to run 5 minutes faster than my personal best time. I was in Durban last year, the conditions were still and warm. So I'm more confident of running my best time considering the training I have conducted. My aim is to run 2:10," he concluded.