Wildschutt cashes in on R200 000 after record-breaking Absa GQEBERHA 10K run

Adriaan Wildschutt is smiling all the way to the bank after running away with an impressive R200 000 after his record-breaking performance at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K on Sunday, 13 April. The impressive payout forms part of a South African Elite Athlete Incentive Programme introduced by event organisers, Stillwater Sports, at the start of the 2025 Series.

Already the holder of three outdoor track national records, the 26-year-old added a fourth record when he ran 27:28 to win the first race of the 2025 Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES, finishing seven seconds inside the previous mark set by Precious Mashele at the same event two years ago. In what was only the second senior road race of his career, Wildschutt took home R30 000 in prize money for crossing the finish line first, R120 000 for breaking 27:30 as part of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES SA Athlete Incentive Programme and a further R50 000 bonus for setting a new South African record.

Wildschutt going toe-to-toe with Kenya's Vincent Kipkorir before winning the race in a new SA Record to pocket a total of R200 000. Photo Credit: Anthony Grote.

"Earning the incentives from Absa is very important, not just for me but for all athletes. It allows you to start training full time so that you can focus on your training which allows you to perform at a high level," Wildschutt said reflecting on the SA Athlete Incentive Programme which is the bedrock of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES' drive to improve the standard of 10km running in the country.

Stillwater Sports Managing Director and Series Founder, Michael Meyer, highlighted that a significant portion of funding is dedicated to incentivising local athletes to deliver world-class performances. This includes support for travel and accommodation to all five Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES events, as well as the payment of appearance fees.

Glenrose Xaba also walked away with R60 000 for her sub 32:08 run and third place finish. Photo Credit: Anthony Grote.

"We always strive to bring global running stars to the series, but this year we were exceptionally proud to welcome a South African global star, Adriaan Wildschutt, to the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K. Although the total prize money for the 2025 Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES is just over R1.6 million, we’re investing over R4.5 million annually into the overall elite programme. That includes supporting top-tier athletes from around the world — who have many racing options — by offering them a world-class racing experience here in South Africa. It also means ensuring a larger group of South African elites can participate by flying them in, accommodating them, and in the case of top performers, offering appearance fees. Very few events in South Africa offer a true Elite Athlete Programme like this, and it's a key area where we allocate significant resources," he explained.

Born and raised in Ceres, but now based in the United States of America, Wildschutt says knowing that the SA Athlete Incentive scheme was in place, made it an easy decision for him to take part in the race and spend money on flying his entire family from the Western Cape to witness his record-breaking run.

Because of the support he received from the Absa RYC's SA Elite Athlete Incentive Programme, Wildschutt flew his entire family from Cape Town to Gqeberha knowing that he would not be out of pocket because of the appearance fee and incentives he earned. Photo Credit: Supplied.

"It is always better not to have to worry about finances. These financial incentives also make travel easier, and you can get all the things that you need. Having my family in town, I knew that we could do a few things together and spend some money because I knew that all my travel costs were covered. Coming all the way from the US and knowing that all the finances are covered is a great comfort to have," he confirmed.

For grabbing third place and running the third sub 28 minute 10km clocking of his career, Mulaudzi earned R60 000 as part of the Absa RYC's SA Elite Athlete Incentive Programme.

Meyer continues, "When a record is broken at one of our races, it doesn’t just make local headlines — it attracts global attention. Adriaan's phenomenal run on Sunday earned him R30,000 for the win, R120,000 for going under 27:30, and R50,000 for setting a new SA record — a total of R200,000. In addition to earning R20 000 for his third-place finish, Kabelo Mulaudzi received a further R40 000 for running under 28 minutes, while Glenrose Xaba also secured R20 000 for finishing third and an additional R40 000 for dipping under 32:08 in

the women's race. We are incredibly proud to reward such outstanding performances by South Africa’s elite athletes," he said.