How do masters categories work in road races?
Rule- South Africa
- Athletics South Africa
- SAMA
- World Masters Athletics rules
- Masters athletics
- Masters 35+
- 2026/27
- Athletes
Under ASA Rules 2.7 and 23:
- Your age is your age on race day.
- Where organisers offer masters awards, ASA says they should first cover all 10-year categories (35-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+) before adding 5-year categories. If there's no 35-39 category, 35-39 year olds count as Seniors.
- To be eligible for a masters prize you must wear two age category tags (front and back, above your licence numbers, red on white, at least 6cm high). Tags show the youngest age of the group, for example 40 for 40-49, or 35/40/45 for 5-year groups, up to 100+. Without both tags you're considered for Open and Senior prizes only.
- You can win at most two individual prizes: one Open and one in your category.
- Teams: if there's no team competition for your age group, you count for a younger one (for example, 50+ runners counting in a Masters 40-49 team, then ideally called Masters 40+).
Added 22 Oct 2026