HOPING to improve her 2019 time, record-holder for the SA Marathon, Gerda Steyn, returns to the 5th annual Absa RUN YOUR CITY Durban 10K on Sunday, July 10.
It was Steyn who eventually broke the SA Marathon record of 2:26.35, made by Colleen de Reuck, that had stood since 1996. Steyn achieved the feat when she ran 2:25.28 in April 2021 at the Sienna Marathon in Italy, and with that, cemented her position in the South Africa Squad to compete at the Olympic Marathon, in which she finished 15th. Steyn has also run the fastest marathon on South African soil, clocking 2:26.25 in Cape Town in 2021.
ALSO READ: Gold medalist on track for Comrades
Michael Meyer, managing director of Stillwater Sports and Founder of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Durban 10K, called it an honour to have Steyn join the race.
“Gerda is one of SA’s most popular runners and does get invited to many of the world’s bigger, high-profile races, so for her to choose to race in the series is a great honour and shows just how important the series is to both international and South African athletes alike,” he said.
ALSO READ: Rising star gets Comrades-ready in Glenwood
Known as the Queen of Ultras, Steyn holds the record for the up-run of the Comrades Marathon – as the only female athlete to break six hours. She also holds a record for the Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon. Steyn, in 2022, broke the 33-year-old course record set by the legendary Frith van der Merwe.
While Steyn is known for her long-distance achievement, she also excels on a shorter track. Her time of 32:24 for 10km is the seventh fastest time in South Africa. In 2019, Steyn clocked 33:22 at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Durban 10K.
Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting Dear reader, As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19. Readers with any comments or queries may contact National Group Editor Irma Green (irma@caxton.co.za) or Legal Adviser Helene Eloff (helene@caxton.co.za). At the time of going to press, the contents of this feature mirrored South Africa’s lockdown regulations. 
