Inspired by Stephen Mokoka’s intention to target the Masters 10km World Best at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K on Sunday, 13 July 2025, the organisers of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series have put forward a substantial R100 000 incentive for Mokoka to break the 27:48 barrier.
“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,” says Michael Meyer, Managing Director of Stillwater Sports and Series Founder. “
When Stephen Mokoka shared his goal of breaking the Masters world record earlier this year, we knew we wanted to support him in a meaningful way.”
After producing the fourth-fastest performance of his career (28:06) to claim third place at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K on 11 May, 40-year-old Mokoka realised he was within striking distance of the 27:48 Masters World Best, set by America’s Bernard Lagat at the 2015 Great Manchester Run in the United Kingdom. Having competed in that very race – where he clocked a lifetime best and then-South African record of 27:38 – the Hollywood Athletics Club standout identified the lightning-fast Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K course as the ideal stage to become the fastest 40-year-old 10km runner in history.
“I’m grateful to Stillwater Sports and the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series. 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.”
What lies ahead are two weeks of putting the finishing touches on a 10km-specific training programme, which Mokoka began after completing the Totalsports Two Oceans 56km Ultra Marathon on 5 April. Under the guidance of legendary coach Michael ‘Sponge’ Seme, Mokoka – who is a 2:06:42 marathoner at his best – has followed a strict speed-focused regime over the past two and a half months. This has included sessions with Hendrick Ramaala’s Zoo Lake Group, all of which has left the veteran athlete confident in his chances of claiming the R100 000 bonus.
“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 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.”
In closing, Meyer adds: “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, on 13 July, at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K.”
EVENT DATES: Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K
| Date: | Sunday 13 July 2025 |
| Start Time: | 08:00 |
| Start Venue: | Masabalala Yengwa Avenue (MY) |
| Finish Venue: | Durban Beachfront (Golden Mile) |
| Entry Fee: | Licensed Runner: R255.00 Temporary License: R50.00 Entry Includes: Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES Event Performance T-shirt Absa Entrant Gifts: Drawstring Bag, Peak Cap and Versus Socks Race Number with Timing Chip Amazing route entertainment from start to finish Lively local entertainers and performance groups 2 x Refreshment Stations on Route Tog Bag Drop and Collect Service Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K Finisher’s Medal |
CHARITY SUPPORT: The Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES proudly supports the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) as the official charity of the entire series of events. A non-profit leader in the fight against cancer since 1931, CANSA enables research, educates the public and advocates for and supports all people affected by cancer, while leading SA towards a cancer-free society. When entering an Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES event online, runners can show their support by donating towards CANSA.
Prize Purse: The Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES boasts an impressive, combined prize purse of R1 610 000.00 in 2025. Each of the five events will feature a total prize allocation of R322 000. Of this, R252 000.00 will be dedicated to the Open Category, with R126 000.00 awarded to the Top 10 Open Men and R126 000.00 to the Top 10 Open Women. The top male and female finishers in each city will receive R30 000.00 each, with R25 000.00 going to second-place finishers and R20 000.00 to third-place finishers.
Additionally, R70 000.00 will be allocated to Age Categories. The Age Category prize pool will reward the top three finishers in the Junior, 40–49, 50–59, 60–69, and 70+ age groups.”
South African Athlete Incentives: The Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES also has an unprecedented “SA Athlete Prize Incentive Schedule” for 2025. Applying to all five races, the incentive schedule offers bonuses for exceptional performances. In the men’s category, bonuses will start for times faster than 28 minutes, with a substantial R200 000.00 bonus for breaking the 27-minute barrier. For women, bonuses begin for times faster than 32:08 minutes, with an impressive R200 000.00 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). It is important to note that the R50 000.00 will be awarded to the fastest time.
To view the 2025 Prize Purse Breakdown and SA Athlete Incentive Schedule, visit https://runyourcityseries.com/
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Hashtag: #RunYourCity #AbsaRunYourCity
WhatsApp Line: 072 042 7613
Websites: www.runyourcityseries.com
About Absa
Absa Group is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and is one of Africa’s largest diversified financial services groups.
Absa Group offers an integrated set of products and services across personal and business banking, corporate and investment banking, wealth and investment management and insurance. Absa operates in fourteen countries. The Group owns majority stakes in banks in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania (Absa Bank Tanzania and National Bank of Commerce), Uganda and Zambia and has insurance operations in Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zambia. Absa also has representative offices in Namibia and Nigeria, and securities entities in the United Kingdom and the United States. For further information about Absa Group Limited, please visit www.absa.africa
About the Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES
A proudly South African mass participation road running series, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES has been revolutionizing the sport since 2015. A road running celebration like no other, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES comprises five unique events namely the Absa RUN YOUR CITY GQEBERHA 10K (launched in 2023), Absa RUN YOUR CITY CAPE TOWN 10K (launched in 2015), the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K (launched in 2017), Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K (launched in 2023) and the Absa RUN YOUR CITY JOBURG 10K (launched in 2016). A diverse road running series, the Absa RUN YOUR CITY SERIES integrates businesses, families, investment in community, world class achievement and fun for all participants. For further information please visit https://runyourcityseries.com/
