By Adnaan Mohamed
A rising star, a seasoned campaigner and a defending champion will bring three very different ambitions to the starting line when the sold-out Hollywoodbets Joburg 10km unleashes 12,000 runners at Nasrec on Sunday morning.
Twenty-two-year-old Sibusiso Msibi is hungry to announce himself on the big stage, Hollywood Athletics Club veteran Stephen Mokoka is chasing another strong finish, and Nedbank Running Club speedster Thabang Mosiako must decide how much his body has left after a demanding marathon in Germany.
The third edition of the race starts at 07:30, with the winner’s prize climbing to R40,000, making it the richest-paying 10km race in South Africa. With the stakes rising and the field packed, the road to glory promises to be anything but a Sunday stroll.
For Msibi, the race represents a golden ticket to a bigger stage.
The University of Johannesburg athlete, who won the 2025 ASA 4km cross-country title, has spent much of his development focusing on track and cross-country. His speciality is the 1,500m and 5,000m, and he is now stretching his ambitions onto the road.
Speaking at Friday’s pre-race media conference in Hyde Park, the Tembisa-born runner made no secret of his intentions.
“I feel if I do good on Sunday, it will open opportunities for me. This is special for me. I am going all out and I am expecting a podium finish.”
Msibi has watched Mokoka and Mosiako from afar, drawing inspiration from the very athletes he will now measure himself against. A 10km encounter with Mokoka at a Region 5 event last year left a lasting impression.
“I remember watching them on TV and wishing to be like them,” he said. “He actually spoke to me during the race, but at the time I was ‘suffering’. That told me to go back and work harder at training.”
His focus remains on cross-country and University Sports South Africa competition next year, while bigger road races are firmly on his horizon. Balancing studies and athletics adds another layer to his challenge, although he says he is coping.
Mosiako, meanwhile, arrives with a title to defend and tired legs to manage.
The former South African half-marathon champion pocketed R37,500 for winning last year’s race. However, his marathon outing in Cologne, Germany, two weeks ago has complicated his Johannesburg campaign.
The 31-year-old is still assessing his recovery and rates his chances at 50/50, wary of pushing too hard and risking injury. His usual end-of-year peak has also been disrupted by bringing his marathon plans forward.
He has even identified Msibi as a serious threat.
“I don’t think I’m going to defend this title with this young man next to me because I saw he can sprint that final 5km,” Mosiako said. “I’m still in my marathon mindset so I’m going to go with the flow and then we’ll see how the race unfolds.”
Mokoka brings a wealth of experience to the contest. The 41-year-old improved from eighth in the inaugural edition to third last year and wants to maintain that upward trajectory.
“My target this year is to be able to maintain being in the top six from last year in Durban,” he said, reflecting on his recent results.
Mokoka also has reason to feel satisfied with his season after clocking 2:10:48 at the Cape Town Marathon, where he finished 13th.
At Nasrec, youth, experience and endurance will collide over 10 kilometres. Msibi wants a breakthrough, Mosiako hopes his marathon-weary legs can still deliver a title defence, and Mokoka has the experience to read every twist in the race.
The stopwatch will have the final say. For Msibi, though, Sunday could be the morning his name moves from the margins of South African distance running into the spotlight.
- Venue: Johannesburg Expo Centre NASREC.
- Start Times: The 10km race starts at 07h30. The 5km fun run follows at 08h00.
- Race Pack Collection: Today (Saturday, 17 October) is the final day to collect your race number and pack. Collections are open at NASREC until 18h00. Note that there are strictly no race-day entries or number collections tomorrow morning.
- Strict Rules: Running with headphones, earphones, or pets is strictly prohibited for safety reasons.
- Cut-off Times: The 10km route has a hard cut-off at 09h00 (1 hour 30 minutes course time), and the 5km cut-off is at 09h30.