Images: Tobias Ginsberg, Felix Dlanga & courtesy Adriaan Wildschutt |
The last few years can best be described as a major breakthrough for South African Olympian and multiple record-holder Adriaan Wildschutt. In 2022, while completing his studies in the USA, he set his first SA Record, in the 5000m indoors. The following year, now running as professional and still based in the USA, he set new national marks for 3000m, 5000m and 10,000m on the track( outdoors), and in October of that year, he returned to South Africa on holiday and posted a 27:53 for 10km on the road in Cape Town. That made him just the sixth of seven local athletes to go sub-28 on home soil. In 2024, his success continued, with an incredible six more national records, bettering all his own marks. Indoors, he did it again in the 5000m, and outdoors, he set two new SA Records each in the 3000m and 10,000m( the latter in the Olympic 10,000m in Paris, where he finished a memorable 10th after racing much of the way with the lead group), as well as once more in the 5000m. That has seen him lower the national bests to 7:32.99( 3000m), 12:56.67( 5000m) and 26:50.64( 10,000m). This year he set another 5000m indoor national mark of 12:55.02 in the USA in early March, followed by a 26:51.27 over 10,000m in late March, only just missing his national record by 63 hundredths of a second.
Now he brings that excellent form to the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series, determined to add the SA Record for 10km to his list of honours. And he wants to do it on the same course that saw Precious Mashele take
Adriaan Wildschutt plans to chase the SA Record
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Gideon Kipngetich will be looking for another win in SA
the record down to 27:35 in 2023.“ I chose this race because I hear that it’ s a fast course, and I remember the South African record being set there. I love competing, and sometimes that leads to records,” says Wildschutt.“ I appreciate and respect Precious’ record, and would never undermine the quality it took to set that record, but I am aiming to break the South African record in Gqeberha, and hopefully make it a lasting one.”
Of course, Wildschutt will not simply have the race to himself as he chases that national mark. A stacked men’ s field features a number of international speedsters from abroad, including Kenyan Gideon Kipngetich, who made a strong impression on the South African road running scene last year with a runner-up finish at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K, followed by a commanding victory at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K. Also in contention will be current SA Record-holder Precious Mashele as well as fellow South African sub-28 speedsters Kabelo Mulaudzi, Elroy Gelant, and Wildschutt’ s brother Nadeel will also be hoping to improve on his 28:07 best, while other local athletes will be chasing the incentives for a sub-28 as well.
Xaba Looking for Another Win
The women’ s race at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K will also feature SA’ s national record-
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holder, Glenrose Xaba, who set that mark of 31:12 at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K in July 2024. Having gone on to break the national record for the marathon in October( 2:22:22), she recently also won her sixth consecutive 10,000m SA title on the track, and eight in total for this event, to bring her total of national titles to 24.
Xaba’ s winning time in the 10,000m was 31:56.65 – the second-fastest of her career – came just a week before the race in Gqeberha, and points to her being in fine form, perhaps even in shape to challenge that SA Record again. She will therefore line up as the outright favourite amongst the South African women, but a strong field of internationals will be looking to steal her thunder in the Friendly City. These include Mercy Kibor of Kenya, fresh from her dominant win in the Totalsports Two Oceans Half Marathon in Cape Town, and regular podium finisher in SA races, Selam Gebre from Ethiopia, amongst others.
With all these top athletes lining up in Gqeberha this Sunday, it points to being another fast and furious race for line honours, says Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and Founder of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES.“ Having athletes of this calibre racing on SA soil is something we take great pride in, and we look forward to an action-packed race – the perfect way to kick off the 2025 Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES season.”
Glenrose Xaba comes to Gqeberha in great form!
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