The race will start at 8 am at Masabalala Yengwa Avenue and finish at the Durban beachfront, featuring a sold-out field of over 10,000 runners.

The reigning national half-marathon champion claimed victory in Durban last July, clocking a personal best of 27:47 in an all-South-African podium finish.

In April, the 38-year-old shattered Gert Thys' long-standing national marathon record of 2:06:33 by running 2:05:36 at the Hamburg Marathon in Germany.

Gelant now aims to win again in KwaZulu-Natal and secure the R30,000 prize, with hopes of earning another R60,000 bonus if he goes under 28 minutes as he did last year.

The University of North West lecturer, based in Potchefstroom, is expected to face tough competition from Kenya’s Vincent Kipkorir, the fastest athlete on the start list with a time of 27:07.

Kipkorir, brimming with confidence, returns to South Africa after finishing second behind national 10km record holder Adriaan Wildschutt with a time of 27:48 in Gqeberha in April.

Other strong contenders include Kabelo Mulaudzi, who won the Cape Town leg in May, and Kamohelo Mofolo, who placed second behind Mulaudzi.

Gelant, who finished fourth in that race with a time of 28:08, despite still recovering from his record-breaking marathon effort, told SABC Sport that he’s ready to embrace the new challenge.

“For the Durban leg, I’m going all out to defend my title and push myself closer to breaking my personal best,” said Gelant.

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“This race is a key part of my preparation for the World Senior Championships in Tokyo later this year, where my goal is to finish in the top 10.

“I narrowly missed out with an 11th-place finish at the Paris Olympic Games last year, and I’m determined to improve at another major marathon in September.

“My road to that performance starts at the Absa Run Your City race in Durban.

“It’s going to be a great opportunity to test my legs, and my goal is to go for the win. I know it won’t be easy — the race will be challenging and competitive.

“I expect to be up there with the front pack, and the final kilometre will be crucial to see if I can make a decisive move.

South African athletes are posting impressive times, so I know I’ll need to push hard to stay with them,” said the Boxer Running Club star.

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