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The highly anticipated event, which has sold out with over 10,000 participants, will start at Masabalala Yengwa Avenue at 8 am and finish at the Durban Beachfront.
Race organisers, Stillwater Sports, have offered a R100,000 bonus should Mokoka surpass the current record of 27 minutes and 48 seconds, set by Kenya’s Bernard Lagat in Manchester in 2015.
Mokoka shared that he had hoped to travel with his family to KwaZulu-Natal for this special occasion, but financial constraints have made that impossible.
"I have been running for so many years, and even now, there are so many things that I cannot afford to do, but that's the bad luck of being a South African athlete."
The four-time Olympian, who has proudly represented South Africa in both the 42.2km marathon and 10,000m events, told the national broadcaster that being a South African runner comes with immense challenges.
He spoke about the sacrifices athletes make, often with little or nothing to show for their dedication.
He stressed that many runners compete for their country purely out of honour and pride, without receiving any tangible rewards in return.
"As we speak, I've got no money to retire with. It's tough to be a South African runner. You devote your entire life to the discipline for not much glory. To represent my country has required so much sacrifice over the years," said Mokoka.
The 40-year-old, who mentors a group of young athletes at Tshwane University of Technology, hopes the next generation of runners won't face the same struggles and setbacks currently endured by those in the sport.
The three-time Cape Town Marathon champion also told SABC Sport that his remarkable two-decade-long career has been sustained by a combination of luck, consistent training, and hard work.
He encouraged fellow athletes to remain disciplined, not just on Sunday, but in every race they run.
Issued on SABC Sport by Charles Baloyi | https://www.sabcsport.com/news/stephen-mokoka-hopes-to-have-his-family-by-his-side-for-world-record-attempt
