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Lesotho’s rising star Kamohelo Mofolo etched his name into the history books after claiming his first Hollywoodbets Durban 10km title at Kingsmead Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
The 19-year-old national record holder powered to victory in a sold-out race that drew 12,000 runners, clocking 27:58 to secure the crown and a winner’s cheque of R35,700 in South Africa’s richest 10km event.
Lesotho’s road running star Tebello Ramakongoana clinched the men’s title last year, and in his absence, Kamohelo Mofolo ensured the crown stayed in the Mountain Kingdom.
Running in the colours of Durban-based Xcel Running Club, Mofolo delivered back-to-back wins for Lesotho.
South Africa’s top contenders, Kabelo Mulaudzi of Boxer Running Club and Thabang Mosiako of Nedbank, tried to chase down the teenager from the Mountain Kingdom but could not match his pace.
Mulaudzi, who had beaten Mofolo in Cape Town and Durban during the Absa Run Your City series, had to settle for second in 28:01, while Mosiako claimed third in 28:03.
Mofolo, who set a Lesotho national 10km record of 27:52 in Durban in July, admitted that although he missed his target of breaking that mark, the win was more than enough satisfaction.
“The plan was to win and try to break my national record. The record didn’t come today, but I am happy with the victory. I always believed I could win this race,” he told SABC Sport.
The teenager took command of the race just after the 2km mark, opening a decisive gap that left him unchallenged until the finish.
He explained that strong winds after 6km slowed his pace, but his lead was never in danger.
“The first half was very fast, but from 6km it got windy, and the pace dropped.
That’s when I realized the record was gone, but I focused on holding my lead,” he said.
In preparation, Mofolo deliberately skipped last weekend’s Tshwane 10km—an event he won in 2024—to save himself for Durban. The gamble paid off.
“I knew I would be tired if I raced in Tshwane, so I chose to focus on Durban. Everything went as I planned. This victory motivates me to push harder in future races,” he added.
With this performance, the teenager has cemented his reputation as one of Southern Africa’s most exciting prospects on the road-running circuit.
