Race organizer explains the withdrawal of pace setters in Gqeberha 10km

Speaking to SABC Sport, Meyer admitted it was a massive blow to the event after the two contracted pacemakers pulled out at the eleventh hour, leaving Wildschutt isolated in his pursuit of history at the race staged in Gqeberha.

The American-based South African star had made it clear that he was targeting the elusive sub-27 barrier — a first on African soil — but instead had to settle for victory in 27:47, well outside his stated goal.

Meyer insists the organisers had no control over the last-minute developments and says critics must understand the limits of race management.

"You know as organisers we try to do everything we can to create the conditions for athletes to run as fast as they can. That includes prize money, that means a great field and great incentives for the South Africans and the other athletes. It also includes pace makers.

"And so, everything is put in place, but unfortunately we can't control the weather and we can't control whether people get sick or injured."

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Questions have since surfaced over whether the pace setters, Ryan Mphahlele and Luan Munnik, had already been compensated for their duties.

Meyer, whose company also organises the iconic Two Oceans Marathon, stopped short of confirming payment details, saying contractual matters are confidential.

Mphahlele was present at the race but did not start after reportedly suffering an injury in Johannesburg due to a personal incident, while Munnik was taken to hospital after falling ill.

The situation has fuelled debate within road running circles about accountability and contingency planning when high-performance targets are publicly marketed.

Despite the fallout, Meyer rejected suggestions that the incident exposes weaknesses in planning.

He maintains that his team remains among the most professional in the business and that sometimes unforeseen circumstances simply derail even the best-laid plans.

However, he conceded that future editions may include more than two pace setters to avoid a repeat scenario — a subtle admission that safeguards could have been stronger.

Meyer also oversees the nationwide Totalsports Women's Race and says their reputation for delivering world-class events remains intact.

Wildschutt did not hide his frustration, venting on social media after discovering that his pacemakers would not line up.

The 10km specialist made it clear that the sub-27 attempt had been carefully planned and publicly communicated.

Meyer defended the athlete, describing him as one of the most professional runners he has worked with and suggesting that his frustration was justified considering the circumstances.

"Adriaan is the most successful South African athlete I've ever worked with. He's absolutely meticulous in every element of his planning, and there's a lot the other South African athletes can learn from him.

"I think when Adriaan posted last night, he didn't want people to be talking about the fact that he was going for sub-27 when he knew it wasn't going to be possible because he said he needed pacers to do it. We also did our part to not promote that as the goal as he clearly said he wasn't going to be able to do it without pacers."