Stephen Mokoka excited for Cheptegei reunion at Durban 10km

The two last raced against each other in Durban in 2018, when Cheptegei announced himself on South African soil by becoming the first athlete to break the 28-minute barrier. 

He won the race in a then SA All-Comers record of 27:16, while Julien Wanders finished second in 27:32 to set a new European 10km record, while Mokoka crossed the line in sixth place in 28:18.

Eight years later, the pair will once again line up together when the sold-out race gets underway at the earlier start time of 7am.

"Due to his presence, that was the first time a time of 27:32 was run in South Africa. Having a man of his calibre in our country at that time and also in this upcoming race  is a very big thing. I'm looking forward to it."

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The 41-year-old, who has represented South Africa at four Olympic Games, believes Cheptegei’s presence will inspire the country's next generation of distance runners.

Mokoka says young athletes will gain valuable experience by competing against one of the greatest long-distance runners in history. 

"It's a great opportunity for the emerging athletes to compete against the best and the World Record holder. The youngsters might be thinking we cannot be beaten by a marathon runner, but he himself also has a point to prove, to cement what he's done in the past."

The three-time Cape Town Marathon champion is also hoping the world-class field will produce a fast race that raises the profile of South African road running.

Mokoka believes that if the leading athletes can challenge the 26-minute mark, it will attract even more international stars to future editions of the Durban race while motivating local runners to raise their standards.