"Nothing will stop me" - Paulus targets yet another podium as a new SA Champ is set to be crowned at the Nelson Mandela Bay Half Marathon

The Nelson Mandela Half-Marathon, scheduled to take place on Saturday, June 27, in Summerstrand, Gqeberha, will feature a talented pool of athletes competing for top honours. Renowned as the fastest Half-Marathon race in South Africa, this event, which encompasses the SA Half-Marathon, 5km, and 1 Mile Championship, consistently yields outstanding performances including the fastest 21km time ever run in SA - 1:00:29 produced by Thabang Mosiako to win the 2023 edition of the race.

This year's men's 21km field features multiple Olympian and former SA Half Marathon record holder (59:38) Stephen Mokoka, as well as hometown favorite Melikhaya Frans who finished as runner-up (1:01:03) back in 2022. Furthermore, Namibian athlete Daniel Paulus will lead the international contingent, leveraging his familiarity with the course to challenge for line honours.

Daniel Paulus stunned a quality field including the likes of Onalenna Khonkhobe to win the Region 5 Half Marathon in Tshwane last October. He returns to his favourite 21km race determined to secure a third official podium finish in Gqeberha. Photo Credit: Cecilia van Bers.

The 29-year-old Namibian record-holder (1:01:10) enjoyed a productive 2025 which featured a podium finish in Gqeberha and victory (1:04:12) at the Region 5 Half Marathon in Tshwane. Paulus returns to the country  hoping to dash out the disappointment of not finishing the Totalsports Half-Marathon race in April. He says that he has managed to overcome those setbacks and he is fully prepared to tackle the fast and flat course. 

"I failed to finish the Two Oceans 21km race as I suffered severe cramping," he tells #TheTopRunner. "I didn't know what caused it as everything looked fine during my preparation for the race. Although it was not a good thing not to finish, I think I’m over that now. I'm ready to deliver a strong performance in Gqeberha this weekend. I promise to give it my best on race day," explains Paulus, who will race Nelson Mandela Bay Half Marathon for the fourth time.

Former winner Stephen Mokoka will be back on the streets of Summerstrand again. This time however, Mokoka will be running for his Hollywood Athletic Club and not representing Athletics Gauteng North in the quest to be crowned SA 21km champion. Photo Credit: NMB Half Marathon.

Paulus comes into the race with the proven track record. In 2022, he finished third behind Frans and winner Namakoe Nkhasi (1:01:01) of Lesotho to set a new Namibian half marathon record, which remains his personal best. Last year, he managed to upgrade his position to runner-up (1:01:51) behind Kamehelo Mofolo. The man who runs in the colours of the Nedbank Running Club says his aim is to secure yet another podium finish at one of his favourite events.

"I'm still looking for the podium finish on weekend, nothing else. I have been there before and nothing will stop me. I can't say I'll win the race but if it's happens then I'll be happy," he concluded. 

Race Director Mike Mbambani alongside road running scholar Alec Riddle at a previous edition of the Nelson Mandela Bay Half Marathon. Photo Credit: NMB Half Marathon.

Meanwhile Race Director Mike Mbambani is excited ahead of the 12th edition of the race which has come to be known as one of the fastest half marathons on the African continent. But wet and windy conditions have sometimes had the final say, as was the case in 2024 when SA Marathon Record holder Elroy Gelant won the race. Mbambani is hopeful that good weather conditions will prevail and fuel athletes to produce lightning fast times. 

"The forecast is promising. If we have good weather then we can easily get 60 minutes on the day. We have a strong field. We have a field that can give us a new South African Champion because of the athletes in the field, only Mokoka and Frans have won the SA 21km title before. So if they don’t win, then a new Champ is coming." 

Defending SA champions Thabang Mosiako and Glenrose Xaba who won the national half marathon titles when the competition took place in Phalaborwa, Limpopo will not be competing. Mosiako is recovering from injury, while Xaba has accepted an invitation to race overseas.