On January 5, 1897, the club held its first “Combined Athletics Meeting,” followed by its first major Boxing Day gathering on December 27 of the same year. After the Anglo-Boer War, the Boxing Day event grew significantly in popularity, drawing large crowds and top athletes.

World War I interrupted these festivities, but they resumed in 1919. In 1923, the club made a progressive move by including a women’s event for the first time. During the 1920s, Paarl was home to some of South Africa’s top cyclists. Notably, in 1926, Sakkie Roux, Fred Short, and Abe Louw represented the region in four out of five events at the national convention.

The Great Depression in the early 1930s nearly ended the Boxing Day tradition, and in 1931 the event almost didn’t take place. However, a turning point came in 1932 when Martin du Toit became secretary of the club. Over the next 40 years, he built the Boxing Day event into one of the most prestigious in South Africa, attracting international athletes and cyclists.

In 1939, Paarl hosted a cycling test match between South Africa and Canada, and in 1949, a British team visited. The original wooden pavilion at the track was destroyed in a fire in 1953, later replaced with a modern facility. By 1960, the South African athletics rally was held on Paarl’s track, and in 1976, the Boxing Day event made headlines by featuring black Olympic athlete John Carlos.

In 1980, the event was held in the evening for the first time, a decision that met with mixed reactions. Many felt the race, especially the iconic 25-mile cycling event, had lost its character. The absence of a tartan track, growing competition from other races, and the timing of the event (December 26) led to the discontinuation of the athletics section. However, the Boxing Day cycling event remains a celebrated fixture.

In addition to Boxing Day, the Paarl Athletic Club also gained recognition for hosting the annual Paarlberg road race, first run in 1935.
Though the club applied to host a race as early as 1928, permission was denied.

When the race finally launched, it quickly earned a place in South African running history. Aside from the Comrades Marathon (first held in 1921), the Paarlberg race is one of the oldest in the country. The first winner in 1935 was Laurie du Preez, clocking a time of 1:11:34. The legendary Willie Olivier won the race six times and was the first to break the one-hour barrier with a time of 58:55—a record that stood for 24 years until Jan Tavares lowered it to 56:50 in 1990.

Originally, the route was 18.4 km and ran on October 10, starting and finishing at the Paarl Town Hall. In 1984, the 50th uninterrupted edition was celebrated. The 61st race, in 1995, took place along the same route but in reverse, as part of the club’s centenary celebrations. 

Over the years, many top athletes have competed in the race, including De Villiers Lampbrecht (South Africa’s first three-mile runner), Ewald Bonzet, and Gabriel Cruse. Later, the route was extended to 21 km—a decision not welcomed by all, as many felt it disrupted the heritage of the race.

Changes in sponsorship, increased competition from other events, and issues such as flooding on the northern mountain road led to the race becoming an out-and-back format. As a result, interest waned. However, with the return of strong sponsorship and the restoration of the original circular route, there is renewed hope that the Paarlberg Half Marathon will reclaim its former glory—not only as a premier running event, but also as a source of pride for the entire Paarl community.

Another significant chapter in the club’s modern history was the eventual separation of the athletics and cycling sections. This led to the formation of the Bergrivier Club and Huguenot Harriers. Fortunately, all local clubs eventually reunited under the Paarl Athletic Club banner—demonstrating the strength and unity of Paarl’s sporting spirit.