Karabo Mailula sets her sights on defending her Absa Joburg 10km title

Mailula and her Boxer Running Club teammate Kabelo “Mr Podium” Mulaudzi completed an impressive South African double in front of a sold-out field of more than 10 000 runners in Newtown last year.

The 24-year-old, who completed her teaching honours degree at the University of Pretoria last year, is now hoping to make history by becoming the first female runner to successfully defend the Joburg title and collect the R33 000 first prize.

Coached by Caster and Violet Semenya in Tshwane, Mailula is looking forward to returning to the streets of Johannesburg and starting her public holiday with another memorable victory.

The talented runner admits that 2026 has not gone according to plan, but believes a win in Joburg would give her something special to celebrate.

Mailula clocked 33:44 to win last year’s race, describing it as the biggest highlight of her career so far.

The victory remains fresh in her memory, especially after finishing ahead of Kenyan Florence Nyaingiri.

“Winning the Joburg 10km race meant a lot to me. I became so popular and received congratulations from so many people, including some I didn’t even know. I felt like a celebrity, and I really enjoyed the race,” she told SABC Sport.

READ: Richards Bay turn to interim duo after Ronnie Gabriel exit

A year later, Mailula wants to experience that feeling again and enjoy the support from the Joburg crowd.

She comes into the race after finishing third at the Hollywoodbets Durban 10km in 33:01.

However, she knows the challenging M1 and M2 highway course will test her, especially as she continues to recover from a knee injury.

“My aim in the Durban 10km was just to finish the race and run under 33:10, so I achieved my goal. But I’m honestly not sure about my fitness level at the moment. I’ve been resting because of my knee injury. I’m still recovering, so I’m not perfect,” added Mailula.