'I'm happy' - Kabelo Mulaudzi looks to Absa TSHWANE 10K after going sub 28 again in Durban

South African Middle-distance starlet Kabelo Mulaudzi is delighted to have come away with a lifetime best time of 27:53 from the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10k on Sunday 7 July. Mulaudzi was second overall behind Elroy Gelant who also ran a personal best time of 27:47 to continue his wonderful form.

The 26-year-old Boxer Athletics Club top runner had not been in great shape this year since picking up an injury at the World Cross Country Championships in Serbia at the end of March. Muluadzi who could only manage 29:52 to finish 20th overall at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K in May, told #TheTopRunner that he struggled to accept that performance and almost lost focus.

Mulaudzi was one of four south African men to dip under 28 minutes at the 2024 Absa rUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K. Photo Credit: Anthony Grote.

"Before coming to the race, I had been training hard in order to deliver. After the injury, I told myself that I need a strong performance to show that I'm one of the best athletes in the country. My performance in Cape Town wasn't my best and I struggled to come to terms with it. My coach advised me to go back and run cross country meetings to rediscover my fitness. I listened to him because I trust everything he says," explains the man from Alexandra Township in Johannesburg who has now tun 28 minutes twice in his career.

"I'm happy that I managed to get a personal best time here in Durban. Last year, I won the race. I was in best shape of my life at that time and running strong. There was too much pressure on me to deliver after I had a great year in 2023. I'm happy to have overcome that today," explains the man, who trains under watchful eye of Richard Mayer.

Mulaudzi winning the 2023 Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K. He is working on defending his title. Photo credit: Stillwater Sports.

Now, Mulaudzi will look to defend the Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K title he won last August when he lines up in the nation's capital on the 25th of next month. "I think all the focus shifts to the Absa TSHWANE 10K now. I managed to win there last year so I'm expecting to defend my crown. This is why today's performance was crucial in order to boost my confidence going forward. It means a lot to me to get a result like this one."