Stillwater Sports, the organisers of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series, have unveiled what they say is the biggest incentive purse in the history of South African road running.
That’s in the build-up to the annual Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K on 9 July.
The incentive structure will see South African men earn bonuses for times faster than 28:30, culminating in a bonus of R200 000 for a time under 27 minutes. On the female side, the incentives will start with times faster than 32:00.
Stillwater Sports are hoping that the incentives will play a role in encouraging world-class times from South Africa’s top SA athletes on the fast Durban course.
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The announcement follows the principle set in 2022 where the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K paid out a whopping R475 000 in incentives. In that race, Maxime Chameton became the first South African to break the 28-minute barrier on South African soil, earning himself R100 000 when he clocked 27:58 to finish fourth.
Since then, both Precious Mashele and Thabang Mosiako have improved on that time and run the fastest times by a South African on home soil. Mashele broke the eight-year-old SA record of Stephen Mokoka when he clocked 27:35 at the inaugural Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K on 2 April.
Mosiako slashed 34 seconds off his previous best time of 28:26 from the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K run in 2022 by finishing third in Gqeberha with a time of 27:52.
“We have seen over the years how the standard of South African middle-distance running has improved at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series,” says Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and founder of the series. “Clearly the belief is there and we hope with these incentives we will see even faster times here in South Africa – hopefully a sub-27-minute 10km. The end effect we hope will be twofold – a continued raising of the standard of middle distance running in South Africa, while ensuring that South African athletes can earn a good living without having to leave SA.”
Incentives – Men’s Race
sub 28:30 – R5000
sub 28:20 – R15 000
sub 28:10 – R30 000
sub 28:00 – R60 000
sub 27:50 – R80 000
sub 27:40 – R100 000
sub 27:30 – R120 000
sub 27:20 – R140 000
sub 27:10 – R160 000
sub 27:00 – R200 000
Incentives – Women’s Race
sub 32:00 – R5000
sub 31:50 – R15 000
sub 31:40 – R30 000
sub 31:30 – R60 000
sub 31:20 – R80 000
sub 31:10 – R100 000
sub 31:00 – R120 000
sub 30:50 – R140 000
sub 30:40 R160 000
sub 30:30 R200 000