Gerda Steyn Loses Hope of Receiving R90,000 Soweto Marathon Prize Money
- Gerda Steyn has lost hope of receiving her R90,000 prize money for finishing third at the 2025 Soweto Marathon
- The two-time Olympian says almost a year has passed without payment or communication from the Soweto Marathon organisers
- Steyn believes the unpaid prize money has damaged the race’s reputation and disappointed South Africa’s running community
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South African running star Gerda Steyn says she has lost hope of receiving the R90,000 prize money she earned after finishing third at the 2025 Soweto Marathon, with almost a year passing without payment or communication from the organisers.
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According to SABC Sport, Steyn made her debut at the People’s Race on 29 November 2025. Despite concerns about the event’s future at the time, the two-time Olympian decided to participate and support the local marathon.
Speaking to SABC Sport, Steyn expressed frustration at the lack of progress, saying the athletes had received no updates about their outstanding prize money.
“You are correct, it's almost to the date, one year, and there's been absolutely no communication about the payments or absolutely no payments done,” Steyn said.
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She added that the situation was particularly disappointing because she had been looking forward to competing in a marathon on home soil after the cancellation of the Cape Town Marathon.
Steyn said she had chosen to support the Soweto Marathon despite being aware of the challenges surrounding the race, but felt that athletes had been forgotten in the months that followed.
Gerda Steyn raises concerns
Steyn raised serious questions about the management of the Soweto Marathon and the organisers’ ability to honour their commitments to athletes. She said there had previously been indications that individuals or parties outside the race's immediate management might intervene, but no meaningful progress had followed.
For Steyn, the issue extends beyond the R90,000 owed to her. She believes the failure to pay athletes has damaged confidence in an event that holds an important place in South Africa's running community.
The Olympian said the marathon had been a race that runners could take pride in, with athletes and supporters regularly coming together to support local events.
However, she warned that relying on an organisation that fails to meet its obligations could have wider consequences for the sport.
Steyn says Soweto Marathon crisis hurts
Steyn said the situation had been painful for the broader running community, which had hoped to see the Soweto Marathon remain a regular fixture on the racing calendar.
She praised South Africa's running community for its unity and willingness to support events, but said the current situation had been disappointing.
“We are proud of what we've built, we're proud of our community, we'll come together on any given day if you call us together and if you set up a place for us to run but then to put our hands in an unreliable source is disappointing,” she said.
Steyn added that the failure to resolve the prize-money dispute had left runners disappointed about the future of an event they wanted to see succeed.
While she is trying to move forward, her comments underline the frustration surrounding the unpaid prize money and the uncertainty facing the Soweto Marathon.
Soweto Marathon winners still owed
Briefly News previously reported that Joseph Seutloali, Gerda Steyn and other top finishers from the November 2025 Soweto Marathon are still waiting for their prize money
An R740,000 stopgap payment approved by Central Gauteng Athletics remains frozen with the Gauteng Sports Confederation
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Source: Briefly News
