Latest news with #StillwaterSports
IOL News
06-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Meyer treats elite athletes like the superstars they are
And so it is that the majority of the elites who participate in the RUN YOUR CITY SERIES do so per invitation. With the funding for the race – thanks to sponsors Absa and other partners, Meyer provides transport and accommodation for the athletes at all the five events – Gqeberha, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria and Johannesburg – as well as paying them appearance fees. It is how it must be. These, after all, are the men and women who make the races what they are – the broadcasters and the sponsors partner with the races because of them. They are the draw cards, and Meyer understands the importance of taking care of them. Unlike those renowned ultra races, which expect the elites to pay for entry fees and find their way to the events and accommodate themselves, Meyer takes care of the athletes in ways that leave them needing only to worry about their performances on race day. Michael Meyer – a former runner and the Managing Director of Stillwater Sports – is quietly revolutionising running in the country through the 10km Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series which he founded. But in the much shorter distance, a man with a passion for running is giving elites the kind of treatment they are worthy of. Elite runners who compete in the renowned Comrades, Two Oceans as well as the Om Die Dam, Loskop and Mangosuthu ultra marathons are treated no differently from the social runners – save for the seeding perhaps. It is the same in most of the renowned standard marathons. In a country where ultra running is supposedly king, isn't it ironic that it is in the much shorter distances where the elite athletes are treated with respect and receive the recognition they duly deserve? Athletes that are well taken care of can only want to perform at their optimum best. And there too, there are huge incentives that help ensure they run fantastic times. The RUN YOUR CITY SERIES boasts an unprecedented 'SA Athlete Prize Incentive Programme', which offers bonuses for exceptional performances. In the men's category, bonuses will start for times faster than 28 minutes, with a substantial R200,000 bonus offered to an athlete breaking the 27-minute barrier. For the women, bonuses begin for times faster than 32:08 minutes, with an impressive R200,000 incentive for breaking the 30:23 mark. To further raise the stakes, a bonus of R50 000.00 will be awarded to the South African athlete who breaks the SA 10km record (at the time of the race). Glenrose Xaba explained just why the incentives are strong motivators. 'The incentives are very important to me because they're directly linked to performance times, because the better my time, the better my chances of competing internationally. said Xaba. "These incentives motivate me to stay at the top because the rewards are tangible. Breaking my own record would be a dream come true — I'd be the happiest woman alive." Here's what Meyer says about the programme. 'While our focus will always be on ensuring every runner — from first to last — enjoys the same high-quality experience, we also recognise the importance of attracting the world's best athletes and nurturing local talent. To achieve that, we've built a comprehensive and meaningful Elite Athlete Programme," said Meyer. "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, 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. 'When a record is broken at one of our races, it doesn't just make local headlines — it attracts global attention. That's what we're aiming for: to marry the excellence of African athletes with the excellence of our cities. That remains our long-term vision, while continuing to invest in development and the broader running community.' The next race in the Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES is the Durban10km which takes place next Sunday. And with the legendary Stephen Mokoka out to break the world Masters record for runners aged between 40 and 49, Stillwater Sports have moved to spur the multiple Olympian on. 'When Stephen Mokoka shared his goal of breaking the record with us, we knew we wanted to support him in a meaningful way,' Meyer said. 'Stephen has been a strong supporter of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES since its inaugural event in 2015. The R100,000 incentive is our way of showing appreciation, while recognising both his ambition and his remarkable contribution to South African road running. "It would be an honour to celebrate such a monumental achievement with Stephen right here in Durban at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K.' Meyer has invited Comrades Marathon champion Tete Dijana to the race and has taken care of his basic needs better than the world famous ultra ever would.
IOL News
25-06-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Mokoka eyes Masters world record – and R100k – in Durban 10K bid
Stephen Mokoka is gunning for the Masters 10km world record at next month's Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K — with R100 000 on the line and history within reach on home soil. Photo: Action Photo Image: Action Photo As if Stephen Mokoka needed more motivation to run the race of his life at the next instalment of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series, the organisers have added extra fuel to the legendary runner's fire. Now, the Hollywood Athletics Club star has an additional 100 000 reasons to break the Masters 10km world record when he lines up at the Durban event next month. Mokoka has long made his intention clear to usurp Bernard Lagat as the fastest over-40 runner in the distance and will make his attempt on 13 July. His quest has now been given further impetus by organisers Stillwater Sports, who have dangled a R100 000 carrot as incentive for him to dip under the 27:48 mark that Lagat ran in Manchester a decade ago. 'The Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series has always strived to create a platform for our local athletes to shine on home soil and to incentivise exceptional performances,' said Michael Meyer, managing director of Stillwater Sports and Series founder. 'When Mokoka shared his goal of breaking the Masters world record earlier this year, we knew we wanted to support him in a meaningful way. 'Stephen has been a strong supporter of the series since its inaugural event in 2015. The R100 000 incentive is our way of showing appreciation, while recognising both his ambition and his remarkable contribution to South African road running. "It would be an honour to celebrate such a monumental achievement with Stephen right here in Durban, on July 13.' Mokoka has gleefully welcomed the incentive. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 'The opportunities we get through the series truly make our lives easier,' said Mokoka. 'To break the record, Bernard Lagat had to travel all the way from America to run in Manchester, UK. So, I'm thankful to have an opportunity like this on home soil – especially now, with the younger guys performing so well over 10km. These days, you can't get onto a podium with a 28:10 easily. 'A platform of this magnitude excites me, and I'm looking forward to what lies ahead.' Mokoka certainly has it in him to break the record – a mark set in a race he participated in. He has often recalled how he had to push hard in the Great Manchester Run to avoid being beaten by 'a 40-year-old', ultimately finishing just ten seconds ahead of Lagat, who was second. Most recently, he ran a 28:06 to finish third at the Cape Town leg of the popular series in May. Now, he is putting the final touches on his preparation alongside his long-time coach, the revered Michael 'Sponge' Seme, after a tough outing at the TotalSports Two Oceans Ultra Marathon. 'My coach decided I had to go back to the drawing board. It's not easy, but I've got young guys at UJ in the Sponge Group who are doing a great job of burning my chest and legs,' Mokoka laughed. 'It's also been great to visit other groups. At Zoo (the Zoo Lake group of Hendrick Ramaala), the course is tough – nine laps gave me 400m of elevation. I can see why the Precious Masheles and Chris Mhlangas are so strong on the hills. 'With the way I'm training now, I'm hopeful. I'll be grateful for whatever comes, but hopefully, the weather in the City of Ethekwini plays along – and I can get that Masters record.' And, of course, swell his bank balance by that cool R100 000.
The Citizen
02-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Exciting prizes on offer at upcoming Durban 10km
Exciting prizes on offer at upcoming Durban 10km – register now One lucky runner will drive away in a brand-new car at this year's Absa Run Your City Durban 10K on Sunday, July 13. The stylish Chery Tiggo 4 Pro LiT, valued from R269 900 is up for grabs thanks to the event's official vehicle partner, Chery South Africa. Now in its 8th year, the Durban race is the third stop in the five-part Absa Run Your City series – one of South Africa's premier road running events. The 10km route showcases Durban's urban landscape and is known for its flat, fast course that caters to elite athletes and recreational runners alike. 'We're thrilled to bring this world-class experience back to Durban,' said Michael Meyer, managing director of Stillwater Sports and founder of the series. 'The Chery car giveaway has become a highlight in every host city, and we're grateful to Chery South Africa for continuing this exciting tradition.' Charged with high-energy atmosphere, the Absa Run Your City Durban 10K promises more than just a race – it's a full city experience. And for one lucky entrant, it could end with a brand-new ride. Register via the event website here. Stay in the loop with The North Coast Courier on Facebook, X, Instagram & YouTube for the latest news. Mobile users can join our WhatsApp Broadcast Service here or if you're on desktop, scan the QR code below. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
