Image: Cuan Walker
Neheng Khatala and Tayla Kavanagh put in supremely good performances at the Totalsports Women’s 10km in Durban on Sunday, on a morning that produced some staggering times. Cuan Walker reports.
On a cool Sunday morning with temperatures hovering just over 12 degrees and a gentle breeze in the air, a field of over 5 000 ladies, and a few men took to the streets of Durban, in search of fast times. With R1 million up for grabs for a women’s only 10km world record of 29:27 up for grabs, Kenyan Christine Njoki, who won the very same event last year, shot out of the blocks, running under the world record pace for the first 3km of the race. At this stage, the Purple Stars duo of Kavanagh and Khatala sat back in the chase pack, content to run their own races.
Speeding through the halfway mark in 14:52, Njoki was now disappearing up front with Kavanagh and Khatala through the halfway mark in 16:02, on pace for new personal bests as well as a possible Lesotho national record for Khatala. Up front, Njoki remain unchallenged to take the win in 30:14, the fastest time by a woman ever on African soil.
Behind her, Kavanagh and Khatala were flying, and moving through the field. With one final surge in the last kilometre, they almost got onto the podium, missing out by the narrowest of margins, with Khatala (4th) getting the better of Kavanagh (5th) on the line with both being credited the same time of 31:53. Third place went to Kenyan Jade Chaha who finished in 31:51. For Kavanagh, it was a big personal best of 16 seconds and for Khatala, not only a new personal best but also a Lesotho national record.
Fastest ladies 10km ever on African soil! Christine Njoki runs 30:13 after a brave solo run where she was under 30 pace until 7km. @taylakavanagh smashing 32 with a 31:51!!! pic.twitter.com/eyNt8lSE69
— Cuan Walker (@runwithcuan) August 3, 2025
“I am very happy with my run today because to be honest, I felt a bit tired in the legs from the half-marathon last week and also a lot of travel during the week,” said Khatala.
“To run a new national record and also finally get under 32 minutes is amazing and, it was so great running with my Hollywood Athletics Club teammate Tayla because we pushed each other from the chase pack and passed a lot of athletes who had gone out too hard.”
The runs will both signal huge confidence boosts for the duo ahead of the Hollywoodbets Durban 10km at the end of this month. Both will be looking to go even quicker. We’re set for a potential thriller come Saturday 30 August!
