Adriaan Wildschutt delivered a record-breaking performance in Gqeberha on Sunday, 13 April 2025, winning the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K in a stunning 27:28 – a new South African 10km road record.
The 26-year-old, competing in just his second road race and making his debut in the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series, surpassed Precious Mashele’s 2023 mark of 27:35 with a commanding solo effort through windy conditions.
“It feels good (to break the record). It would have been such a pity to come all the way from the US and miss it by a few seconds. I wanted to run 13:30 or 13:35 in the first half and we were way off. I knew it was going to be hard since the wind was there. Overall, I’m happy I managed to pull it off.”
His latest feat adds to an already impressive résumé, which includes national records in the 3,000m, 5,000m, and 10,000m on the track. But Wildschutt admits this road record was particularly grueling.
“I think this one is pretty hard considering I ran sub-27 minutes two weeks ago and it takes long to recover. Plus, there is the traveling in between and training in Potchefstroom.”
Kenya’s Vincent Kipkorir placed second in a personal best of 27:47, followed by South Africa’s Kabelo Mulaudzi in 27:57 — marking his third career sub-28 performance.
In the women’s race, Kenya’s Jane Gati Chacha made a remarkable international debut, winning in 31:45. Ethiopia’s Selam Gebre was close behind in 31:50, with Glenrose Xaba rounding out the podium in 31:56 to finish as the top South African.
Stillwater Sports Managing Director and Series Founder Michael Meyer praised the athletes:
“Congratulations to our elite champions, Adriaan Wildschutt and Jane Chacha, on their fantastic performances today – what an incredible display of talent. A very special mention must go to Adriaan Wildschutt on breaking the South African 10km record. This is a truly remarkable achievement – not only for Adriaan personally, but also for South African athletics and for our event as a whole. We are honoured to have witnessed such a historic moment. A heartfelt thank you to the 4000 runners who joined us – a record sold out field – and to our incredible sponsors and partners for making this unforgettable day possible.”
Absa’s Head of Sponsorships, Jabulile Nsibanyoni, echoed the sentiment:
“Well done to all that participated in the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K and joined Team Absa Walk Run on Strava. A huge congratulations to all the winners. It was inspiring to see so many people taking to the streets, with many different reasons for running, pushing themselves to achieve their individual goals. Your stories have inspired us all, and we are immensely grateful for your contributions to our event. Thank you to our colleagues, volunteers, partner sponsors, and organisers who made this event possible.”
