Johannesburg - South Africa’s 800m world champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi is the first high-profile athlete to be confirmed for the opening meeting of the national Yellow Pages Series, which takes place in Port Elizabeth on February 19.

Mulaudzi – a former Olympic silver medallist and indoor world champion – emulated Caster Semenya when he won the title in a thrilling finish in Berlin last year.

Eastern Province Athletics (EPA) president Godfrey Goliath said today it was a major coup for the organisers to have Mulaudzi in Nelson Mandela Bay as he prepared for the world indoor championships in Qatar on March 12.

“It is a huge honour for us to have athletes like Mbulaeni taking part. He is currently one of the biggest names in athletics and a huge crowd puller.

“The public has been starved of top quality athletics in recent times and we anticipate that they will come out in force to support these athletes.”

Goliath said Olympian and national steeple-chase champion Ruben Ramolefe – who broke Whaddon Niewoudt’s 17-year-old South African record last year – has also been confirmed for the meeting, which is the first of six countrywide in the lead-up to the national championships in Stellenbosch on March 14.

Mulaudzi and Ramolefe will conduct a coaching clinic for learners at the Westbourne Oval the day before the event, which Goliath said was “vital” to make youngsters aware of the sport.

He said the two national stars – in conjunction with EP stalwarts Leigh Julius, Cindy Stewart, Paul Gorries and Ntombi Ntshiliza – would also conduct motivational talks at two schools in the Motherwell township and two in the Northern Areas.

Tickets, which will be available at the gate at the NMMU Stadium before the start, cost R10 for adults. Scholars and students enter for free.

For more information, contact Le-Anne de Kock on 041 374 2818.