Gerda Steyn's moment of triumph as she wins in record time_Image supplied
Leading distance runners from all corners of the planet increasingly plan to incorporate the Comrades Marathon into their running CV’s as a rite of passage, a pilgrimage to the ultimate shrine of distance running. As a result, competition at Comrades grows ever more intense.
Only six South Africans (three men and three women) could claim gold medals for top ten places this year, with seven and six countries respectively represented among the men’s and women’s top ten finishers.
The race
Dutch athlete, Piet Wiersma, who came so close to victory in the down run last year when just 10 seconds separated him from the champion, Tete Dijana, went one better and clinched a life-changing victory, while few words remain to describe the feats of distance running achieved by Gerda Steyn, who won again in record time.
“Gerda just comes from a different planet,” said runner-up, 2022 winner, Alexandra Morozova. And the other-worldly manner of Steyn’s victory suggests this might indeed be true.
2023 World 100km champion, Carla Molinaro, matched Steyn for over two hours, before sensibly easing back to a more sustainable pace, eventually to finish 4th. Zimbabwean Loveness Madziva stayed with Steyn through the first 35km and paid a heavy price for her ambition, dropping out of the top ten to finish 13th.
Steyn never missed a beat or appeared to be in any discomfort as she gradually shed her male companions, eventually crossing the line at Scottsville Racecourse in 5:49:46 to finish 9 minutes inside her own record for the up run and more than 15 minutes clear or Russian athlete Morozova.
American Courtney Olsen overhauled Molinaro in the final quarter to claim third in 6:08:09, three minutes back of Morozova while Molinaro narrowly held off Zimbabwean Nobukhosi Tshuma in the final straight for fourth in 6:12:01, both athletes virtually out on their feet.
“It was the best day of my life – just a blessing to be here,” said Steyn. “I want to thank everyone who helped me to get here and all those who have supported me along the way.
“My race plan worked really well – except with two kilometres to go I checked my watch and realised I would have to sprint to make it under 5 hrs 50 min! I only just made it. That’s an extra bonus and I’m very happy with that.”
Many runners collapsed in exhaustion over the finish line. Only one turned back immediately to jog 50 metres in the direction from whence she had come to thank the cheering spectators for their support. Steyn is one of a kind, able to race 85km at record speed but still within herself, with an eye to what lies ahead.
“Running Comrades and the Olympics in the same year is a challenge I set myself,” Steyn continued. “I don’t think anyone has ever done that before. I feel blessed I have this opportunity – to go after difficult things simply because it’s worth it.
“That challenge builds character and inspires so many people, so I’m happy about my choice. And I’m going to work so hard to be ready on 11 August to represent South Africa (in Paris) in the proudest way I possibly can.”
While prize money is never a prime motivation for Steyn, her total earnings of R2 075 000, before any additional incentives from sponsors, representing a combination of winning the race, first South African home, breaking the record for the ‘up’ Comrades, setting a new ‘fastest pace’ for the ‘up’ run and winning the hotspot prize for the first runner through Cato Ridge, likely represents the biggest pay day of her career.
Given the strength of the men’s international field for this year’s race, it was always going to be a tough ask for South Africa to maintain its hold on the winner’s trophy. Two decades of dominance by international athletes from 1993, where South African male athletes could only win five titles out of nineteen (and female athletes only two), ended with the last of Zimbabwean Stephen Muzinghi’s three successive victories in 2011.
Homegrown world-class ultra-marathoners such as Bongmusa Mthembu, David Gatebe, Edward Mothibi and Tete Dijana stepped up to the Comrades plate with energy and determination after 2011 and reaped the rewards of long months of hard preparation, but the strength of international athletes flying into South Africa to race Comrades this year suggested 2024 might be different.
Four athletes led the Comrades on Sunday at various stages with 2024 Two Oceans Marathon winner, Onalenna Khonkhobe, starting out as if he were racing a half, rather than an ultra, marathon.
Lesotho’s Jobo Khatoane, better known for his speed over shorter distances, with four Two Oceans Half Marathon golds to his name, overhauled Khonkhobe at 7km and led to halfway at Drummond, where a combination of pre-planned strategy and race exhaustion ended his race.
Leading Russian ultra-trail athlete and 8th place Comrades finisher in 2023, Aleksei Beresnev, came through Drummond at pace, overtaking Khatoane and holding a cushion of more than five minutes on the chasing pack which included most of the race favourites.
Beresnev appeared in cruise control as he powered through the Cell C hotspot at Cato Ridge 55 km into the race six minutes up on his rivals to claim the R50 000 incentive and looking a good bet for the top step on the podium.
But he had underestimated the toll the Comrades hills typically exact from an athlete and suddenly neither cruise nor control were suitable descriptions of his running gate.
Working together, Wiersma, Ethiopian Degefa Lafebo, Teboho Sello of Lesotho and South Africans Dan Moselakwe, Joseph Manyedi and Tete Dijana began to close the gap on Beresnev, smelt blood and closed on their prey with surprising speed. Sello and Manyedi fell behind, leaving the remaining quartet to power past Beresnev just 11km further on, 19km from home.
For 16 minutes the Nedbank Running Club quartet of Wiersma, Lafebo, Moselakwe and Dijana jockeyed for position, sensing that the race could be won or lost in a heartbeat as the famous Polly Shorts climb loomed.
It was on ‘Little Pollys’, the prelude to the more serious climb, that Wiersma made his move. Only Lafebo responded but his challenge was short-lived and in a flash the race was over as the Dutch athlete drew away from his rivals.
Only an impressively decorated South African mounted police sextet could stay the pace with the race leader on the full Polly Shorts, providing an impressive equine escort as Wiersma crested Pollys and set his face towards the race finish at Scottsville Horse Racing Club in Pietermaritzburg.
Such was Wiersma’s strength over the finishing 8km, that Leonid Shvetsov’s ‘up’ record of 5:24:49, set in 2008, which had appeared to be out of sight, was suddenly vulnerable. Wiersma swept onto the grass at Scottsville to break the tape in 5:25:00, 45 seconds clear of a fast-finishing Moselakwe and just 11 seconds outside the record and the half million Rand incentive. He was nonetheless ecstatic at the win.
“It means everything – it feels like a combination of everything I’ve ever done,” said the clearly emotional champion. “This is going to change everything for me. Last year I was second. The prize money was nice and I could train without having to find a job for a while, But it didn’t change my life entirely.
“A friend of mine – Hosea Kiplagat – invited me to his house in Kenya and we trained together for six weeks, full time. So I knew I was in the best shape of my life.
“I decided beforehand that if I were to win this race, I’d go back to Kenya for a longer term and see how much I can improve by being a full-time runner,” Wiersma continued. “I also want to see how much I can improve in the standard marathon when I run at Valencia in December.”
Up and down
That only three of last year’s gold medalists – Dutch athlete Wiersma, South African Joseph Manyedi (4th) and Lesotho’s Teboho Sello (8th) – could repeat their top ten position this year, points to the different skill sets needed to succeed in both the ‘up’ and ‘down’ runs and also reflects the increasing competitiveness of the race.
Five of last year’s male top ten finishers, including the champion, Dijana, found themselves falling back to between 11th and 21st positions, and trading their gold for a Wally Hayward medal for a sub-6 hour time.
Women can possibly adapt more easily to the differences, or the depth of competition does not yet equal that of their male counterparts. Led by the remarkable Steyn, five other 2023 gold medalists repeated this year – Russian Alexandra Morozova (2nd), South African Carla Molinaro (4th), Irish athlete Caitriona Jennings (7th), South African Jenet Mbhele (8th) and Polish athlete Dominika Stelmach (9th).
While the core route of the Comrades Marathon remains largely the same year in and out, the overall distance has historically differed by as much as six kilometres, largely due to road or other construction work in and around the approach to the finish in Durban or Pietermaritzburg.
The 1971 route (92km) was the longest and this year’s 85,91km the shortest of the 97 Comrades races to date, offering this year’s 18 884 starters every chance of achieving their target time and beating the race cut-offs. An exceptionally high 93% did just that.
Under new management – a review
Anne Ashworth – Race and Operations Manager
For 2018 Comrades winner, Ann Ashworth, her seven months in the saddle as Race and Operations Manager, tasked with delivering a top event last weekend has been something of a whirlwind, but her leadership appeared to find favour with the majority of the runners while Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) Board Chairperson, Mqondisi Ngcobo, was enthusiastic in his affirmation of the role she has played.
“Ann has been amazing, she brought in many fresh ideas and innovations for our 97th edition,” said Ngcobo. “She worked hard and hit the ground running from day one. She had just 20 days to organise a major launch and invested time and energy to secure sponsors.
“She leveled the playing fields for elite athletes so that those not part of a professional club or team were not disadvantaged, she organised upgraded sanitary facilities for all women during the race and arranged designated refreshment tables for seeded elite athletes at eight points along the route for the first time.
“In addition, Ann was largely responsible for the redesign of the finish area and the route review which led to runners passing Comrades House for the first time. Personally, I thought the atmosphere along the packed finish straight at Scottsville Racecourse added significant value.
“When (former race and operations manager) Rowyn James resigned, we appointed Ann as an interim measure until June, when we planned to formally advertise the position and make a final appointment. Quite possibly we will need to extend the interim position for a few months. Ann has done well and we hope that she applies for the permanent position.”
The Comrades Chair also emphasised the importance of onboarding several additional sponsors, which largely happened under Ashworth’s management. Cell C, Mr Price Sport and THIRSTI are the event’s Tier One sponsors with no fewer than fifteen named as Tier Two Sponsors or ‘Suppliers’. Athletics South African and KwaZulu Natal Athletics are listed as event partners.
“Our prize money was higher than ever before and sets a new standard for South African road running,” Ngcobo continued. “We were thrilled that Cell C came on board to assist the CMA in providing suitable reward to the race’s top contenders. Cell C enabled us to increase the prize money substantially with the total prize money up to R4 092 000 and R825 000 to the male and female winners.
“We also reintroduced the ‘hotspot’ incentive of R50 000 for the first male and female athletes through Cato Ridge (about 30km from the finish) and an additional R500 000 for the athlete setting the fastest pace ever in winning Comrades.
“Gerda Steyn had a superb race, and we were delighted to reward her with cash prizes to the value of R2 000 075 000, which included first prize, the record incentive, the fastest pace incentive, the hotspot incentive and the first South African runner’s prize.”
Asked to share his Comrades highlights with SPNAfrica, Ngcobo pointed to the start, the journey and the finish as ticking all the boxes.
“Ann brought her touch to the start and I thought this was world-class. The changes we introduced worked well, notably the introduction to the masses of the top three male and female contenders while their favourite songs were played.
“Then the atmosphere along the route was fantastic. Crowds were bigger than ever, cheering on the athletes and creating a wonderful spirit for the runners and spectators alike.
“The finish was certainly a highlight for me, creating a great atmosphere with the crowds close to the athletes. And the fact that more than 93% of those who started finished the race within the time limit, compared with 86% at the last up run, was a huge plus point. The relaxed cut-offs during the race gave everyone an opportunity.”
Ashworth herself expressed her satisfaction with the outcomes and how the day turned out. “It wasn’t perfect,” Ashworth acknowledged. “Not everything went according to plan but I truly believe we did the very best we could on the day. The feedback received from runners has been overwhelmingly positive. For me, if runners are happy, then the race was a success.”
That Ashworth has competed at the highest level as an ultra-distance athlete on the road and in trail running (boasting two Comrades and three Two Oceans gold medals) undoubtedly helped to equip her for the position. And her qualifications as an advocate and an athletics coach provide substantial additional advantages. It is a significant credit to the CMA to have landed a person of Ashworth’s abilities to steer the Comrades ship, albeit in an interim capacity.
“I think that being a recent runner is an enormous advantage,” Ashworth acknowledged. “I have tried to introduce things I wished were in place while I was running as well as addressing the requests received from runners, including the athletes I coach and the athletes I run with. I am hopeful that over time the race will be increasingly responsive to runners’ needs.”
In an event as complex as the Comrades, it is inevitable that challenges will arise, some as a result of actions taken or not taken by the CMA and others not. It is the manner of the response to these challenges, both on the day and in the weeks to follow, that is important.
Transportation-related challenges, largely due to infrastructural issues at municipal level in Pietermartizburg were identified by Mqondisi as needing to be addressed.
“Movements in and out of Pietermaritzburg are always challenging and can lead to delays and frustration,” said Mqondisi. “But we have strong relationships with the Deputy Mayor of Pietermaritzburg, who is also the Chair of Infrastructure, and we are confident that repairing lights and road damage is part of their strategic planning going forward.”
While there were complaints from runners and supporters, seemingly a small minority, the speed with which these were formally acknowledged was impressive. Just two days after the race, the CMA issued a media release under Ashworth’s signature, acknowledging the complaints, promising a full investigation and issuing an unequivocal apology for “any oversights, errors and inconvenience cause to runners and spectators”.
The CMA release highlighted five areas of potential shortcoming, only two of which could have been directly attributable to the CMA:
The manner in which these and other challenges are addressed will shape the Comrades Marathon in the immediate and longer term future, notably with a view to one of the most important dates in the event’s history, the 100th Comrades Race, scheduled as a down run to Durban in 2027.
Looking to the future
Looking ahead, there is every likelihood that the quality of the international challenge will strengthen and there is little doubt that the CMA will be re-doubling the efforts to achieve this, aiming to attract the cream of the crop of the world’s ultra-marathoners for their centenary in 2027, a non-Olympic year.
Partnerships will be key, in particular those from local, provincial and national governments, and the CMA’s sponsors and suppliers. The importance of outreach to the wider community has traditionally been recognised by the CMA and this will need to be strengthened further if the event is to succeed at this highest level.
The strong recognition of age group runners and team competitions have been features of the Comrades over the years and next year could see a remarkable age-related double act, an occurrence which Comrades founder, Vic Clapham, could scarcely have imagined in 1921 when the Bill Rowan narrowly broke the 9 hour mark to record the great race’s first win.
Comrades 2025 could be extraordinary in that it will likely produce the first, and possibly second, runner to complete fifty Comrade Marathons. A stress fracture prevented Balito athlete, Barry Holland, from becoming the first to achieve that milestone over the weekend, being forced to withdraw at halfway.
While Holland struggled, Outeniqua Harrier marathoner, Louis Massyn, completed his 49th Comrades journey on Sunday with 25 minutes to spare, immediately reaching out to Holland, suggesting they finish their 50th Comrades together next year, as sprightly 74-year-olds!
Both Massyn and Holland ran their first Comrades in 1973, Holland recording an impressive 7 hrs 52 min while Massyn clocked in at 10 hrs 14 min. Massyn ran his fastest Comrades (6:25) in 1980, while Holland’s best is just four minutes slower, run in 1991 in his 21st Comrades.
Another aspect of the Comrades which sets it apart from most other sporting events is its powerful celebration of the race’s heritage, to the extent that the Heritage and Traditions Committee is one of the most influential of the CMA’s formal forums.
The Comrades Marathon now boasts a set of nine impressively crafted medals which can be won by participants completing the world’s greatest ultra-marathon within certain target times. Five of these are linked to Comrades greats of the past – Vic Clapham (sub 12 hr), Robert Mtshali (sub 10 hr), Bill Rowan (sub 9 hr), Isavel Roche-Kelly (women sub 7 hour not earning gold) and Wally Hayward (men sub 6 hour not earning gold).
The Comrades Medal Collection
The Comrades Marathon Association might do well to consider increasing their medal tally to a perfect ten to celebrate their centenary in 2027. And if so, might a Bruce Fordyce (arguably the greatest Comrades runner ever with nine victories) or a Sam Tshabalala (first black runner to win in 1989) medal for a rare back-to-back ‘up’ and ‘down’ double victory be considered?
Only twelve men in 97 years and nine women in 57 years have achieved this feat, making it an exceptional opportunity to award these medals retroactively at the Comrades Centenary. Tete Dijana (2022 and 2023) and Gerda Steyn (2023 and 2024) are the latest athletes to have accomplished this.
Given that this medal would requires two wins, what price a Fordyce-Tshabalala medal?
Comrades Marathon Results
Top 10: Male
| Pos | Race No | Name | Country | Club | Finish | ||||||
| 1 | 55335 | Piet WIERSMA | NED | Nedbank Interntional | 5:25:00 | ||||||
| 2 | 54169 | Dan MOSELAKWE | RSA | Nedbank Running Club GN | 5:25:45 | ||||||
| 3 | 58002 | Degefa Yohannese LAFEBO | ETH | Nedbank Running Club Ethiopia | 5:27:48 | ||||||
| 4 | 28773 | Joseph MANYEDI | RSA | Nedbank Running Club GN | 5:28:33 | ||||||
| 5 | 37564 | Andrew DAVIES | GBR | UK | 5:30:46 | ||||||
| 6 | 31020 | Bongmusa MTHEMBU | RSA | Arthur Ford AC | 5:34:45 | ||||||
| 7 | 35871 | Elov OLSSON | SWE | Ockelbo SK | 5:35:24 | ||||||
| 8 | 14891 | Teboho SELLO | LES | Maxed Elite Lesotho | 5:36:11 | ||||||
| 9 | 57354 | Alex MILNE | GBR | Nedbank International | 5:36:51 | ||||||
| 10 | 14236 | Givemore MADZINGANYAMA | ZIM | Entsika AC | 5:37:09 |
Top 10: Female
| Pos | Race No | Name | Country | Club | Finish | ||||||
| 1 | 30929 | Gerda STEYN | RSA | Phantane AC | 5:49:46 | ||||||
| 2 | 20886 | Alexandra MOROZOVA | INT | Maxed Elite | 6:05:12 | ||||||
| 3 | 51529 | Courtney OLSEN | USA | USA International | 6:08:09 | ||||||
| 4 | 21250 | Carla MOLINARO | RSA | Hollywood AC KZN | 6:12:01 | ||||||
| 5 | 34525 | Nobukhosi TSHUMA | ZIM | Entsika AC | 6:12:18 | ||||||
| 6 | 59866 | Antonina IUSHINA | INT | Ogorodnikov Team | 6:12:28 | ||||||
| 7 | 21233 | Caitriona JENNINGS | IRE | Nedbank International | 6:16:54 | ||||||
| 8 | 55368 | Jenet MBHELE | RSA | XCEL Running Club | 6:16:54 | ||||||
| 9 | 21237 | Dominika STELMACH | POL | Nedbank International | 6:19:24 | ||||||
| 10 | 53469 | Yulia RYZHANKOVA | INT | Maxed Elite International | 6:28:22 |
First South African: Male
| Pos | Name | Country | Finish | ||||
| 1 | Dan Moselakwe | RSA | 05:25:45 |
First South African: Female
| Pos | Name | Country | Finish | ||||
| 1 | Gerda Steyn | RSA | 05:49:46 |
Top 3 KwaZulu-Natal: Male
| Pos | Race No | Name | Country | Club | Province | Finish | |||||||
| 1 | 31020 | Bongmusa MTHEMBU | RSA | Arthur Ford AC | KZNA | 5:34:45 | |||||||
| 2 | 44201 | Sikhumbuzo SEME | RSA | Hollywood AC | KZNA | 5:44:19 | |||||||
| 3 | 50121 | Nkosikhona MHALAKWANA | RSA | Hollywood AC | KZNA | 5:45:48 |
Top 3 KwaZulu-Natal: Female
| Pos | Race No | Name | Country | Club | Province | Finish | |||||||
| 1 | 55368 | Jenet MBHELE | RSA | XCEL Running Club | KZNA | 6:16:54 | |||||||
| 2 | 54048 | Janie GRUNDLING | RSA | Phantane AC | KZNA | 6:59:36 | |||||||
| 3 | 55780 | Fikile Fundisiwe MBUTHUMA | RSA | Phantane AC | KZNA | 7:05:33 |
Elite Team Prize: Male
| Rank: 1 | Nedbank Running Club GN | Nation | Category | Time | |||||
| Race No | Name | ||||||||
| 54169 | Dan MOSELAKWE | RSA | Elite | 5:25:45 | |||||
| 28773 | Joseph MANYEDI | RSA | Elite | 5:28:33 | |||||
| 28951 | Tete DIJANA | RSA | Elite | 5:42:50 | |||||
| 17472 | Edward MOTHIBI | RSA | Elite | 5:44:09 | |||||
| 22:21:17 |
Elite Team Prize: Female
| Rank: 1 | Team: Nedbank Running Club GN | Nation | Category | Time | |||||
| Race No | Name | ||||||||
| 10862 | Deanne LAUBSCHER | RSA | Elite | 6:28:41 | |||||
| 52631 | Slindile CHILLI | RSA | Elite | 7:57:34 | |||||
| 59155 | Michelle DYKMAN | RSA | Elite | 8:07:54 | |||||
| 51634 | Taryn SNYMAN | RSA | Elite | 8:31:34 | |||||
| 31:05:43 |
Team Prizes: Male 20-39
| Rank: 1 | Team: FAKU Chiefs AC | ||||||||
| Race No. | Name | Club | Category | Time | |||||
| 58229 | Nkosinathi Michael DUMA | FAKU Chiefs AC | 20-39 | 5:50:09 | |||||
| 30157 | Chris BILEY | FAKU Chiefs AC | 20-39 | 5:57:27 | |||||
| 46826 | Julian ATKINSON | FAKU Chiefs AC | 20-39 | 6:27:42 | |||||
| 20317 | Matt DOVE | FAKU Chiefs AC | 20-39 | 6:35:13 | |||||
| 24:50:31 | |||||||||
| Rank: 2 | Hollywood AC KZN | ||||||||
| Race No. | Name | Club | Category | Time | |||||
| 51251 | Perfect DLAMINI | Hollywood AC KZN | 20-39 | 6:14:31 | |||||
| 58157 | Khulekani GASA | Hollywood AC KZN | 20-39 | 6:24:36 | |||||
| 51899 | Siybonga MKIVA | Hollywood AC KZN | 20-39 | 6:31:35 | |||||
| 16480 | Nkosinathi MTHALNE | Hollywood AC KZN | 20-39 | 6:32:03 | |||||
| 25:42:45 |
Team Prizes: Female 20-39
| Rank: 1 | Team: Ubora AC Johannesburg | ||||||||
| Race No. | Name | Club | Category | Time | |||||
| 29121 | Renata VOSLOO | Ubora AC Johannesburg | 20-39 | 6:59:17 | |||||
| 21075 | Lene SWART | Ubora AC Johannesburg | 20-39 | 7:02:44 | |||||
| 41274 | Gina POCOCK | Ubora AC Johannesburg | 20-39 | 7:04:13 | |||||
| 10965 | Daniella MORRISON-JONES | Ubora AC Johannesburg | 20-39 | 7:05:51 | |||||
| 28:12:05 | |||||||||
| Rank: 2 | Hollywood AC KZN | ||||||||
| Race No. | Name | Club | Category | Time | |||||
| 21250 | Carla MOLINARO | Hollywood AC KZN | 20-39 | 6:12:01 | |||||
| 55301 | Unathi MNGCWENGI | Hollywood AC KZN | 20-39 | 7:44:31 | |||||
| 38491 | Thokomela Prudence DLAMINI | Hollywood AC KZN | 20-39 | 9:06:40 | |||||
| 4951 | Andiswa DIYA | Hollywood AC KZN | 20-39 | 9:25:11 | |||||
| 32:28:23 |
Team Prize: Male 40+
| Rank: 1 | Stella AC | ||||||||
| Race No. | Name | Club | Category | Time | |||||
| 20919 | Gcina MSIBI | Stella AC | 40+ | 6:15:44 | |||||
| 55953 | Nkosinathi NGCONGO | Stella AC | 40+ | 6:16:54 | |||||
| 53444 | Wellington Mlungisi NTENGA | Stella AC | 40+ | 6:25:41 | |||||
| 49713 | Alasdair LESLIE | Stella AC | 40+ | 6:30:55 | |||||
| 25:29:14 |
Team Prize: Female 40+
| Rank: 1 | Team: Nedbank Running Club CG | ||||||||
| Race No. | Name | Club | Category | Time | |||||
| 32110 | Jeannie HENDERSON | Nedbank Running Club CG | 40+ | 6:54:53 | |||||
| 55292 | Ilse MARAIS | Nedbank Running Club CG | 40+ | 6:57:15 | |||||
| 35090 | Boipelo OREKENG | Nedbank Running Club CG | 40+ | 7:30:26 | |||||
| 42848 | Christelle PRETORIUS | Nedbank Running Club CG | 40+ | 8:59:13 | |||||
| 30:21:47 |
Top 3: Male 40-49
| Pos | Race No | Name | Category | Country | Club | Finish | |||||||
| 1 | 28773 | Joseph MANYEDI | 40-49 | RSA | Nedbank Running Club GN | 5:28:33 | |||||||
| 2 | 37564 | Andrew DAVIES | 40-49 | UK | UK | 5:30:46 | |||||||
| 3 | 31020 | Bongmusa MTHEMBU | 40-49 | RSA | Arthur Ford AC | 5:34:45 |
Top 3: Female 40-49
| Pos | Race No | Name | Category | Country | Club | Finish | |||||||
| 1 | 21233 | Caitriona JENNINGS | 40-49 | IRE | Nedbank International | 6:16:54 | |||||||
| 2 | 21237 | Dominika STELMACH | 40-49 | POL | Nedbank International | 6:19:24 | |||||||
| 3 | 42875 | Petra PASTOROVA | 40-49 | CZE | Nedbank International | 6:29:28 |
Top 3: Male 50-59
| Pos | Race No | Name | Category | Country | Club | Finish | |||||||
| 1 | 25035 | Wayne SPIES | 50-59 | AUS | Nedbank International | 5:59:11 | |||||||
| 2 | 49673 | Oleg KHARITONOV | 50-59 | INT | Kharitonov Team | 6:16:54 | |||||||
| 3 | 13772 | Jabulani MABASO | 50-59 | RSA | Mandeni Harriers | 6:30:11 |
Top 3: Female 50-59
| Pos | Race No | Name | Category | Country | Club | Finish | |||||||
| 1 | 24039 | Mamala Annah MAPONYA | 50-59 | RSA | University of Limpopo AC | 7:32:32 | |||||||
| 2 | 42405 | Jenni KRUSE | 50-59 | RSA | Ubora AC Johannesburg | 7:47:58 | |||||||
| 3 | 58973 | Maria Claudia FERREIRA | 50-59 | BRA | Nelson Evencio | 7:49:51 |
Top 3: Male 60+
| Pos | Race No | Name | Category | Country | Club | Finish | |||||||
| 1 | 9867 | David GAMEDE | 60-69 | RSA | Boksburg AC | 7:04:45 | |||||||
| 2 | 6845 | Shaun MEIKLEJOHN | 60-69 | RSA | Save Orion AC | 7:19:56 | |||||||
| 3 | 4697 | Wayne SCOTT | 60-69 | RSA | Pinetown & Districts AC | 7:32:12 |
Top 3: Female 60+
| Pos | Race No | Name | Category | Country | Club | Finish | |||||||
| 1 | 22403 | Janine GOES | 60-69 | RSA | Dolphin Coast Striders | 9:01:49 | |||||||
| 2 | 47180 | Jennifer KELLETT | 60-69 | RSA | ACTMA | 9:08:48 | |||||||
| 3 | 31454 | Lynn DA SILVA | 60-69 | RSA | Jeppe Qoundam AC | 9:21:04 |
First Position: Male 70+
| Pos | Race No | Name | Category | Country | Club | Finish | |||||||
| 1 | 515 | Peter CAMINZIND | 70+ | SUI | SSC Langnau | 9:12:22 | |||||||
First Position: Female 70+
| Pos | Race No | Name | Category | Country | Club | Finish | |||||||
| 1 | 59729 | Suzanne KOONCE | 70+ | USA | Tattersols | 10:29:27 | |||||||
| First Novice | |||||||||||||||||
| Pos | Race No | Name | Category | Age | Country | Club | Finish | ||||||||||
| 1 | 58002 | Degefa Yohannese LAFEBO | Senior | 30 | ETH | Nedbank Running Club Ethiopia | 5:27:48 | ||||||||||
| Youngest Finisher | |||||||||||||||||
| Pos | Race No | Name | Category | Age | Country | Club | Finish | ||||||||||
| 1 | 32228 | Michael HERHOLDT | Senior | 20 | RSA | Maties Stellenbosch | 10:54:50 | ||||||||||
| Oldest Finisher | |||||||||||||||||
| Pos | Race No | Name | Category | Age | Country | Club | Finish | ||||||||||
| 1 | 55651 | Marosi MOSEHLA | 70+ | 82 | RSA | Polokwane AC | 10:13:46 | ||||||||||
| Hot Spot Winner: Male | |||||||||||||||
| Pos | Race No | Name | Category | Country | Club | Time Cato Ridge | Time @ Finish | ||||||||
| 1 | 45454 | Aleksei BERESNEV | International | 3:33:57 | 5:37:30 | ||||||||||
| Hot Spot Winner: Female | |||||||||||||||
| Pos | Race No | Name | Category | Country | Club | Time @ Cato Ridge | Time @ Finish | ||||||||
| 1 | 30929 | Gerda STEYN | Senior | RSA | Phantane AC | 3:52:23 | 5:49:46 | ||||||||
New Best Time: Female
| Pos | Race No | Name | Category | Country | Club | 2019 Best Time | 2024 Best Time | ||||||||
| 1 | 30929 | Gerda STEYN | Senior | RSA | Phantane AC | 5:58:53 | 5:49:46 |
Best Pace: Female
| Pos | Race No | Name | Category | Country | Club | 2019 Fastest Average Pace | 2024 Fastest Average Pace | ||||||||
| 1 | 30929 | Gerda STEYN | Senior | RSA | Phantane AC | 4:7.99 | 4:7.11 |
Last Finisher: Eddie Mkhabele – Race No. 30323
First Non-finisher: Barnabas Mlanduli – Race No. 7541
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