Long distance prospect Kamohelo Mofolo is set to make his world marathon major (WMM) debut when he lines up for the 42.2km New York City Marathon on 1 November, 2026, with his coach James McKirdy confident that the young athlete is developing rapidly ahead of the demanding race.
Mofolo, who will turn 21 on race day, will be competing in only his second marathon after making an impressive debut in Cape Town in May, where he clocked 2:08:50.
WMM is a prestigious global series comprising the largest, most renowned, and highest-profile marathon races in the world.
The series comprises annual races (in order of their founding) for the cities of Boston (1897), NewYork (1970), Berlin (1974), Chicago (1977), London (1981), Cape Town (1994),[1] Sydney (2000), and Tokyo (2007). For runners, competing in these races represents the ultimate bucket-list achievement in long distance running, globally.
Speaking exclusively with Newsday about Mofolo’s preparations, McKirdy said the focus has shifted towards marathon-specific training after much of the year was dedicated to developing the athlete’s speed.
“Kamohelo has been doing a remarkable job in this marathon segment. He’s been focused and I believe he’s been truly enjoying the process of the work,” McKirdy said.
According to the coach, Mofolo entered his Cape Town debut with limited running volume as the training programme had largely concentrated on speed throughout 2026.
“With the Commonwealth Games finished, our focus has been volume and marathon-specific work,” he said.
McKirdy said Mofolo has responded positively to the increased workload, describing him as happy, energetic and genuinely excited about the challenge ahead.
“He’s a joy to serve. He’s happy and energetic… and I believe genuinely excited for what’s ahead of him. That internal feeling helps the external development,” he said.
The lessons from Cape Town have also played an important role in shaping the build-up to New York. McKirdy said every marathon provides an opportunity to learn, but identified the gap between Mofolo and the podium as one of the key takeaways from his debut.
“I think the main takeaway was the gap between the podium and where he is. That’s a good thing,” he said.
The coach believes Mofolo is now a more developed athlete than he was before Cape Town.
“There is really no comparison. He’s simply more developed and we hope to see it come out on race day,” McKirdy said.
New York, however, presents a significantly different challenge. The race is renowned for its hills and potentially difficult weather conditions, and McKirdy said preparations have gone beyond physical training to include the mental demands of racing in adverse conditions.
“New York is known for the hills but also challenging weather. Outside of the training, I’m having Kamohelo focus on not letting poor weather affect his mind,” he said.
Rather than placing excessive emphasis on a finishing time, McKirdy said the team intends to use the demanding environment to develop Mofolo’s ability to manage difficult races.
“This will be his second marathon, coming off of his 2:08:50 debut in Cape Town this past May. New York is an incredibly challenging race, so we aren’t too focused in time, but rather we want to use the adversity that Lesotho allows for to teach Kamohelo how to manage such a difficult race,” he said.
McKirdy believes Mofolo’s background could prove valuable when confronted with the demands of a World Major Marathon.
“It’s a major, yes… but it’s a race that breaks the best in the world. I believe this is where Kamohelo, and all Basotho, has an advantage. Life is not easy in Lesotho… he was made for the challenge,” he said.
For New York, the immediate objectives will centre on pace control and effort management, rather than being drawn into the ambitions of other competitors.
“Not allowing anyone else to dictate what we decide to do,” McKirdy said.
With more work still to be completed before race day, the coach remains confident that Mofolo will be ready when the time comes.
“We still have work to do in the segment, however, he will be ready when the time comes,” he said.
And while expectations around the young Basotho runner will inevitably grow following his 2:08:50 debut, McKirdy urged supporters to allow Mofolo to approach the race without unnecessary pressure.
His message to supporters was simple: “Wish the young lad a happy birthday, as he turns 21 on race day!”
“As far as expectations go, do not place any – as with any of the athletes I serve – because we are always giving the best of ourselves. That’s enough,” McKirdy said.
Summary
- Mofolo, who will turn 21 on race day, will be competing in only his second marathon after making an impressive debut in Cape Town in May, where he clocked 2.
- McKirdy said every marathon provides an opportunity to learn, but identified the gap between Mofolo and the podium as one of the key takeaways from his debut.
- New York is an incredibly challenging race, so we aren’t too focused in time, but rather we want to use the adversity that Lesotho allows for to teach Kamohelo how to manage such a difficult race,” he said.
Seabata Mahao is a general news reporter with special focus on Business and Sports. Started working at Newsday in 2021. Working in a team with a shared goal is what I enjoy most and that gives me the motivation to work under any environment leading to growth.
