Latest news with #TheUltimateHumanRace
The South African
12-06-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Comrades Marathon confirms 'missing' runner STILL in hospital
The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) has confirmed that Moira Harding, who was found in a hypothermic state 15 hours after completing this year's race, remains in hospital . Moira Harding, 54, who represented Fish Hoek Athletic Club in the Western Cape, was found near the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) base in The Point, Durban. The base is situated roughly 7km from the new Comrades Marathon finish on Masabalala Yengwa Avenue at People's Park. The workers initially thought she was out training, but soon realised she was in fact in distress. Harding, who lives in Kommetjie, took a respectable 10:52:03 to complete the 89.98km run, well inside the 12-hour cut-off. At the time of publishing it still remains unclear how she ended up near the NSRI base. The CMA confirmed that Harding is one of five runners currently in hospital. The Comrades Marathon is the oldest, largest and most iconic ultramarathon in the world, attracting tens of thousands of local runners each year, along with thousands more from all over the world. Many of them come back year after year to tackle the hilly roads between Pietermaritzburg and Durban, which are lined by tens of thousands of spectators and volunteers, cheering the runners on, and millions more tune in to the live television broadcast. This is why it is known as The Ultimate Human Race, and why many believe that the Comrades is more than just a race… it is a life-changing journey. As the dust settles following the 98th edition of the Comrades Marathon on Sunday, 8 June, the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) is celebrating another incredible race in the rich history of this unique ultra-marathon, whilst also acknowledging that there were some issues and challenges experienced on race day. These will be thoroughly investigated and covered in the post-race debrief, and actions taken to improve on these aspects for next year's race. The CMA stated earlier that it was treating this year's race as a dress rehearsal for the 2027 Down Run, which will also be the 100th edition of the race, with (potentially) another record-sized field and extra celebrations as part of the event. The 2025 race, with the first ever split start in the history of the Comrades Marathon and a new street finish at People's Park in Durban, delivered important lessons that the CMA and its Race Organising Committee (ROC) will take on board in the planning for 2026 and 2027. In terms of what went well, the 2025 race featured a record field for the Down Run, with 18 194 official finishers (86.75%) out of 20 972 starters, and various innovative changes successfully introduced. These included the two-group split start, for safety reasons, and this worked so well that all runners were over the start line within six minutes of their starting gun being fired, vastly reducing the amount of time lost at the start by slower runners at the back end of the field. 'The CMA would like to thank the runners for their co-operation and discipline at the start in Pietermaritzburg, which not only set the scene for a great race, but also ensured the safety of all runners in the event,' says CMA General Manager Alain Dalais. In the elite race, South African superstars Tete Dijana and Gerda Steyn emerged triumphant once again. Dijana, the winner in 2022 and 2023, crossed the line in 5:25:28, just ahead of 2024 winner Piet Wiersma (Netherlands), while Steyn added a fourth title to her already impressive record with another convincing win in 5:51:19, followed by 2022 winner Alexandra Morozova. This makes Steyn only the second woman (after eight-time winner Elena Nurgalieva) to win the race more than three times. At the finish, all runners' race numbers were scanned to determine which medal they earned, and in the process 19 runners from Group 2 were flagged for having started with Group 1. After being interviewed by race officials, it was decided to penalise them with a 30-minute time penalty added to their finish times. 'Other positives that the CMA is proud of is that there were no long queues at registration over the three days, and the registration process was seamless, with all runners receiving their goodie bags, Mr Price Sport Race T-shirt and Toyota cap. On race day, all 47 refreshment stations were well stocked, and supplied the runners with the hydration and nutrition they needed, and at the finish, all runners received their medals and finisher badges. Meanwhile, incidents of crime in and around the finish venue were drastically reduced from previous years, as a result of an increased security presence in the Finish Precinct, but we would still like to improve on that even more,' adds Dalais. The race also celebrated a remarkable milestone this year as Louis Massyn became the first athlete in the world to complete the same ultra-marathon 50 times. He crossed the line in 11:53:14, being met on the line by CMA Board Member Barry Holland, himself the owner of 49 Comrades medals, and then went through to the Green Number Tent to receive his specially framed Quintuple Green Number. Equally remarkable was Johannes Maros Mosehla extending his own record of oldest Comrades finisher, as the evergreen 83-year-old came home in 11:47:27. Earlier, three more women – Malie van der Walt, Helen Mann and Gina Hinchliffe – joined the fairly exclusive women's Triple Green Club, growing its membership from nine to 12. A total of 528 runners received new Green Numbers on the day, for 10, 20, 30 or 50 finishes. Meanwhile, 4 258 novice runners claimed their first Comrades medals. On the medical front, a full medical report will still be issued by Comrades Race Doctor Jeremy Boulter, but initial reports show that 440 athletes were admitted into the Finish Medical Tent, and 200 athletes were sent to hospital – 169 directly from the route, and 31 from the finish. There were no deaths reported during or as a result of the event, although some digital news platforms falsely reported the passing of two runners. Of the 200 athletes sent to hospital, 25 patients were admitted, and at the time of writing (Wednesday, 11 June) five are currently still in hospital, including Moira Harding, who was reported missing after the race and only found the next morning. 'All of these patients are stable and recovering, and are likely to be discharged in the next few days. The Comrades Race Doctor is closely monitoring their recovery, and is in constant contact with the hospitals,' says Dalais. However, the CMA readily admits that certain aspects of the race need immediate attention. Congestion at the finish and dealing with the flow of people in the venue were particularly challenging in the last hour, although the event's Safety and Security teams attended to the bottleneck issue at the Runner's Exit area behind the finish line, and resolved it before any serious incidents could occur. 'There were no stampede incidents on the day, nor were any injuries reported by any runners or spectators as a result of the congestion at the Runner's Exit, but this is one of the most important aspects of the race plan that we are already looking at carefully and working to fix for next time,' says Dalais. Unsurprisingly, there have been a number of comments posted on social media platforms since the race about the challenges experienced at the 2025 race, and Dalais says the CMA is listening. 'We strive to put on the perfect race, ensuring the safety of our runners and spectators while providing them with an exhilarating experience, from registration through the start all the way to the finish and beyond, but there will always be room for improvement, and thus we are taking note of all the feedback and input from our runners – whether positive or negative – and adding this to the post-race debrief notes. 'We hear the criticism and complaints, particularly about the finish venue, management of flow in the venue, and security, and we want to assure the running community that we are taking this feedback seriously. We will be implementing changes and improvements to enhance the overall runner and spectator experience, and of course, to improve on safety aspects as well.' As part of this process of self-evaluation, the CMA invited world-renowned road running expert, Dr Hilary Walker, General Secretary of the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) to attend this year's race, and the CMA Board met with her the day after the race for an initial feedback session. 'She had valuable insights to share on various aspects of our race, and will be sending us a more detailed report soon, which we will add to the 2025 debrief process as we work towards making the 2026 and 2027 races even better,' says Dalais. 'So, whilst we celebrate the success stories of the 2025 Comrades Marathon, the CMA will continue to have an open, two-way channel of communications with its runners, spectators, media, sponsors, partners and volunteers, and all feedback is welcomed. Anybody that would like to contribute their thoughts or ideas to our debrief process is welcome to mail us at info@ We not only welcome this input, we rely on it, in order to ensure the continued success of The Ultimate Human Race,' concludes Dalais. The Comrades Marathon always delivers a number of interesting results and statistics, and a quick look at the numbers shows the following: NUMBER OF STARTERS TOTAL MEN WOMEN GROUP 1 (05:45) 11 366 9 887 1 478 GROUP 2 (06:00) 9 608 6 834 2 774 TOTAL 20 974 16 721 4 253 NUMBER OF FINISHERS TOTAL MEN WOMEN GROUP 1 (05:45 10 852 9 441 1 411 GROUP 2 (06:00) 7 357 5 206 2 151 TOTAL 18 209 14 647 3 562 *The final number of finishers may change, as a small number of queried results are being investigated. PERCENTAGE – FINISHERS TOTAL MEN WOMEN GROUP 1 (05:45) 95.48% 95.49% 95.40% GROUP 2 (06:00) 76.57% 76.18% 77.54% TOTAL 86.82% 87.59% 83.75% MEDAL BREAKDOWN MEDAL QUALIFIERS MEN WOMEN GOLD First 10 Men and Women 10 10 WALLY HAYWARD Men's position 11 to 05:59:59 31 0 ISAVEL ROCHE-KELLY Women's position 11 to 06:59:59 0 15 SILVER Men: 06:00:00 to 07:29:59 Women: 07:00:00 to 07:29:59 669 29 BILL ROWAN 07:30:00 to 08:59:59 2 585 259 ROBERT MTSHALI 09:00:00 to 09:59:59 2 708 493 BRONZE 10:00:00 to 10:59:59 3 839 974 VIC CLAPHAM 11:00:00 to 11:59:59 4 805 1 782 TOTAL 14 647 3 562 NOVICES – FIRST COMRADES TOTAL MEN WOMEN STARTERS 4 973 3 671 1 302 FINISHERS 4 258 3 184 1 074 PERCENTAGES 85.62% 86.73% 82.48% BACK-2-BACK TOTAL MEN WOMEN 2 827 2 179 648 GREEN NUMBERS EARNED TOTAL MEN WOMEN 10 FINISHES 412 355 66 20 FINISHES 81 72 9 30 FINISHES 20 17 3 40 FINISHES 0 0 0 50 FINISHES 1 1 0 TOTAL 523 445 78 TOP 20 MOST TRACKED PARTICIPANTS ON THE COMRADES MARATHON APP NAME TIMES TRACKED Gerda Steyn 52 630 Onalenna Khonkhobe 25 819 Tete Dijana 24 208 Gloria Nokwazi Ngcobo 12 959 Schalk Bezuidenhout 11 224 Piet Wiersma 9 901 Louis Massyn 9 844 Carla Molinaro 8 259 Sipho Marima 6 682 Charles Mnisi 6 440 Elizabeth Mukoloma 5 592 Irvette van Zyl 4 868 Masibulele Mkhundlu 4 735 Kabelo Mabalane 4 372 Jenna Challenor 4 338 Alexandra Morozova 4 037 Rachel Beaton 3 514 Rory Petzer 3 206 Caitlin Hood 2 999 Marissa Groenewald 2 795 Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
How GEMS supports underprivileged runners at the Comrades Marathon
Helping underprivileged runners The GEMS team prepare for a busy day at the Comrades Marathon. Photo: Supplied Image: Supplied Fanyana Chamani will be out to run a new Personal Best (PB) time on Sunday as he chalks up a third Comrades Marathon finish. Talented a runner as he is, though, the Waterfall AC athlete would ordinarily not be on the start line in front of the Pietermaritzburg City Hall among the close to 25,000 athletes who will tackle the 98th running of The Ultimate Human Race. 'I just would not have afforded it," says the runner from Zola, Soweto. "I am unemployed and I cannot afford to pay for a hotel. I don't know any people in KZN who could host me for the weekend, so it would not be easy for me to go to Comrades." But thanks to a corporate company that chose to partner with the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) in a way not many would have found attractive, the likes of Chamani are able to be part of the world's most famous ultramarathon. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Of course, the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) is in it for some ROI (return on investment) — it is the reason companies get involved in sports. And they are no different. 'The Comrades Marathon is, of course, a very powerful brand — the fact that it is called the Ultimate Human Race signifies just how important it is among global ultramarathons, and for us the partnership made sense from a perspective of promoting the GEMS brand,' says GEMS Principal Officer Stan Moloabi. 'As a medical aid scheme, we felt it would be great to associate with an entity that is very powerful from a healthy lifestyle point of view because that would help leverage our brand.' But the fact that they looked at it from a social impact angle speaks volumes and sets them a little apart from other sponsors. 'For us, it is always important to put our members first, and this kind of partnership with Comrades speaks to how we can collaborate with our members to achieve — in this instance — promoting a healthy lifestyle. We took advantage of the fact that we have over 800,000 principal members and some of them are sportspeople. We realised that there are a good number of members who also participate in the Comrades. However, when they go, they have to stay a few days there, and that requires them to pay for transport and accommodation — and we found that some of them can't cover all their costs. We first then identified their needs and created this accommodation platform for GEMS members, which we have since extended to include everybody who is underprivileged.' And along with the CMA, GEMS then checks the applications from the runners and accommodates them accordingly, allowing the likes of Chamani to participate in the race they dearly love. 'The scheme covers non-GEMS members as well, and there is a way that they identify those who are unable to take care of their accommodation needs. At GEMS, we believe that anything that is of social good, where you help people who would otherwise not be able to afford and accommodate themselves, works for us — and that's exactly the point of our involvement with the Comrades. It is not for the limelight; we feel good where we are allowed to help people. For us, that's where the element of ubuntu comes through.' Helping the underprivileged GEMS Chief Operations Officer Dr Vuyo Gqola ahead of the 2025 Comrades Marathon from Pietermaritzburg to Durban. Photo: Supplied Image: Supplied Do not, however, misconstrue that to mean that GEMS is just being charitable. Far from it, for Moloabi said it took some convincing to have everyone on the board agree to the partnership with Comrades. 'It was not easy, because when we do work to promote the GEMS brand, not everyone agrees that it is worth it. Marketing the organization, some people wondered whether it was worth it. So we had to check our policies and our processes to ensure we aligned with the things we want to achieve. We have to justify why we decided to spend money on a sponsorship — and we use this partnership carefully because it is a marketing relationship. Is it working? We certainly think so. Whenever we have entered into such partnerships, after every event our marketing team assesses how much exposure it has given us — a way of evaluating the return on investment — and for the few years we've been with Comrades, we are very happy with that.' They are again making it possible for runners such as Chamani to participate at the Comrades this year. "I've used the accommodation they offer in the last two races and I am going to use it again. It is a very good thing they are doing because they provide us with a mattress and a blanket to sleep on in a very warm place. And they also give us food and fruit. It is really good because there are a lot of runners like me who would not be able to come here and run our favourite race." And because he does not have to worry about where he will sleep and what he will eat, Chamani has been able to train properly as he looks to get his second silver medal. "I ran a 7:20 in my first one two years ago, but I had it bad last year and finished in over ten hours. This time I am going for silver again and I am confident I will run a new PB." GEMS' involvement with Comrades goes 'beyond the race itself," because they also sponsor the Spirit of Comrades awards that recognise people who have contributed positively to the race. "It means a lot for us to be a part of an event that is 100 years old, and we are very proud to honour people like yourself in the media for the role you play in the Comrades Marathon," says Moloabi. They don't just provide the accommodation and food — they also spend time with the runners prior to the race to provide inspiration. "As the GEMS team, we meet with the runners of the underprivileged programme a day before the race to try and inspire them as much as we can. This year, three executive team members from GEMS will be there to see them, and we will also have a gazebo at the finish line to receive them." It is a sponsorship of a different kind — one that ensures the likes of Fanyana Chamani are able to run the Comrades Marathon and chase their silver medals. IOL Sport
The South African
06-06-2025
- Climate
- The South African
Weather forecast for Sunday's Comrades Marathon route
Home » Weather forecast for Sunday's Comrades Marathon route Nerves and excitement will be starting to set in for those runners set to take to the start line for Sunday's Comrades Marathon. Image: Comrades Marathon website A mixed of nerves and excitement will no doubt be starting to set in for those runners set to take to the start line for Sunday's 98th running of the Comrades Marathon. A close eye will be kept on the weather conditions for race day. According to the South African Weather Service (SAWS), the temperature at the start in Pietermaritzburg at 05:30 will be a cool 11 degrees Celsius. Temperatures will peak at 24 degrees Celsius around midday before a 30% chance rain is expected from 16:00 onwards as the majority of runners approach the finish in Durban. The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) has officially announced that the route distance for the 98th edition of The Ultimate Human Race is a challenging 89.98km. This year's race will be the 49th Down Run, taking place on Sunday, 8 June, with the race starting at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall and finishing 12 hours later with a street finish outside Durban's People's Park. The 2025 race will be slightly longer than the 87.701km of the previous Down Run (2023), as the finish has been moved from the Hollywoodbets Kingsmead to a new street finish outside People's Park, in the northbound lanes of Masabalala Yengwa Avenue. This will include a finish-line grandstand for spectators erected in the southbound lanes of Masabalala Yengwa Avenue, as well as a hospitality and entertainment area in People's Park, and space allocated for running club tents on either side of the finish. The longest Down Run in the history of the Comrades was 92km in 1971. The new street finish will create a more inclusive and celebratory atmosphere, as more people can gather to cheer on the participants, while also allowing better flow of runners and spectators, reducing congestion, and ensuring a smoother finish experience for all. Runners will not doubt be pleased to know that no steps will need to be climbed after they finish, with a short, flat walk from the finish-line to either the Club Tent hospitality area, or nearby parking areas – and a free shuttle service throughout the day will make getting to cars even easier. This precise distance of the route has been meticulously confirmed following thorough route measurement conducted by the CMA's Route Portfolio team, in close collaboration with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport's Road Traffic Inspectorate and the Durban Metro Police. 'The Comrades Marathon Association is incredibly proud to announce the official 89.98km distance for the 2025 Down Run,' said CMA General Manager, Alain Dalais. 'This carefully measured course embodies the spirit and tradition of The Ultimate Human Race, promising an unforgettable test of endurance and resilience for all participants. 'The route from the start will leave the City of Pietermaritzburg via Chief Albert Luthuli Street, turning right onto Alexandra Road and left onto Ritchie Road, which becomes Washington Road, and proceeding through Mkondeni to Polly Shortt's. 'These first 8km of the route are wide, spacious and well lit, thus ensuring safer running conditions for all participants.' 'We are really excited about the new finish venue, because it will provide both runners and spectators with a unique experience and inspirational end to the day's running,' added Dalais. 'The runners will enjoy an easier, smoother finish process, while loved ones and supporters will be right there to welcome their runners in, and the venue will help create a terrific finish-line atmosphere.' Two things drive the 2025 Comrades Marathon organisers: To improve both the runners' safety and race-day experience. With the largest ever field of around 22 000 Down Run starters expected, this prompted the CMA's decision to split the Start into two groups, with a slightly later start time to ensure more light and better visibility in the early kilometres, notably coming down Polly Shortt's. This will see the first group start at 05:45 and the second group setting off at 06:00. The two-batch start will ensure that runners experience similar free, open road running of the races in the 1990s and early 2000s, and the last runners in each start group are expected to cross the start line in under five minutes. Runners' start batch and seeding information will be finalised and shared shortly after the qualifying window for the 2025 race closes on Monday, 5 May. The two start groups will have different coloured race numbers – orange or purple – and there will be two similarly coloured finish chutes in Durban. Both start groups will have the traditional 12 hours to complete the race, and all the normal medal cut-off times at the finish, with volunteer 'spotters' and signage to ensure that runners enter the correct chute and receive the correct medals. A special sound will be played at the finish for the Group 1 race-end at 17:45, and the traditional final cut-off gun will be fired by the CMA Board Chairperson for the Group 2 race-end at 18:00. To further ensure the runners' safety and overall experience towards the end of the 12-hour race, the last 10km of the route will be well lit by both existing streetlights in Durban, as well as a large number of generator-powered mobile floodlight masts provided by the CMA. These will be positioned at darker points of the route from Westwood/45th Cutting to the finish precinct, as well as at all race-day parking areas, and all sidewalks and side streets from the finish to Jacko Jackson Drive (outside Hollywoodbets Kings Park). Furthermore, a large security response team will be in place in all the aforementioned areas until late in the evening of race-day, working with the finish venue security team and the SAPS to ensure the safety and protection of runners and spectators. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Star
06-06-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Dijana vs Wiersma: The battle for Comrades Marathon glory
DURBAN - THERE was a moment during the elite athletes' pre race media conference of the Comrades Marathon at a beachfront hotel here on Thursday when Pie Wiersma and Tete Dijana exchanged glances and a smile flickered across both men's faces. The smiles were fleeting though, coming as they did immediately after Dijana had declared himself not being under any pressure but loudly saying' they have pressure'. He looked at Wiersma when he said that and the Dutchman clearly knew his adversary was playing mind games. For a significant part of the press conference, the two Nedbank Running Club athletes had not really looked at each other – although Dijana intermittently smiled when Wiersma spoke about his readiness and 'being in the best shape' of his life. Given the tough nature and the unpredictability of The Ultimate Human Race, it would be folly to think Sunday's 98th running of the world famous ultra marathon between the KwaZulu-Natal cities of Pietermaritzburg and Durban would be a two-horse race. Far from it, for there are a few athletes capable of pulling off a victory. But there can be no denying that Dijana and Wiersma are going to be the main protagonists given what happened two years ago in the last Down Run – from Pietermaritzburg to Durban when Wiersma introduced himself to Comrades with a run so compellingly good he scared the living daylights out of holder and defending champion Dijnana. Wiersma finished runner-up by less than five seconds in one of the closest finishes in the race's history as Dijana broke the Down Run best time previously held by David Gatebe. Wiersma also ran under that 5:18:19 mark and was gutted to not have won. He made amends last year, albeit in the Up Run when he reigned supreme on an afternoon when Dijana had dizzy spells less and suffered wobbly legs to finish a distant 14th place. It appears the gloves are off this year, with Dijana eager to chalk up a rare hat-trick of Down Run victories while Wiersma will be out to do a back-to-back. The Dutchman was in high spirits yesterday as he reflected on how his training has gone out in Kenya which he has made his camp from last year despite having suffered an infection from drinking contaminated water. Previously a student and juggling running with his studies, Wiersma has since gone full time professional and says this has seen to a remarkable improvement in his running. He looks leaner and talks a good game: 'To me every year I am out there looking to do better and this year, training has been good. Last year I got an opportunity to become a professional runner and this has made a big difference. I feel that I am better, but there are never any guarantees, I can't say I will win.' But he definitely wants to, so much so that in addition to training like a madman he has been spending time watching videos of previous races. 'In a way I am a student (of the race),' he admitted. 'Two years ago when I first came here I did not know much about Comrades but last year and this year I did some homework and watched the past races. It is necessary to improve year to year and be the best I can be for every race. I trained to be at the best level I can be and this time my entire year has been very good.' Warnings to Dijana and the rest of the field don't come as ominous as that, do they? But the man from Mafikeng was unfazed by it all, Dijana playfully moving the microphone away from him to another Nedbank runner in Onalenna Khonkhobe, who typically took the bait and declared himself ready to smash the field. 'Sunday, I start with the gun. No matter (there is a) pacemaker or not, I am going up front. I am here to learn lots of things but in three years or four years time I will win Comrades back-to-back,' he said to loud applause. Dijana was not speaking in such bold terms but he flashed a knowing smile as he shared what his plans are for Sunday's race. 'I am so excited to come and fix what happened last year,' he said in reference to the bad run he had in the Up Run. 'I walked and watched the videos (of the race) at home and I heard one of the coaches telling his athletes 'Tete is walking'. But this year, I am not here to walk. And no, I don't have pressure, they have.' He flashed that toothpaste advert smile of his as he looked towards his far left where Wiersma sat. The battle lines have been drawn. Who will reign supreme? Dijana or Wiersma? Or will the winner come out of left field in the men's race?
IOL News
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Pretoria's Van Zyl ready to tackle Comrades debut despiten nerves and Down Run start
Irvette van Zyl. Photo: Backpagepix Image: Backpagepix Pretoria's favourite runner, Irvette Van Zyl, is excitedly looking forward to her Comrades Marathon debut, even though she would rather have started with the Up Run. Speaking during the elite runners' pre-race conference at a hotel on the Durban beachfront, the Hollywood Athletics Club star was in her usual high spirits, despite being on a table teeming with accomplished gold medallists of The Ultimate Human Race. Among them were her teammate and defending champion Gerda Steyn, former champion Alexandra Morozova, as well as Carlo Molinaro, Caitriona Jennings, Dominika Stelmach and Courtney Olsen – all of whom have previously finished in the top ten. It is not surprising, then, that the Olympian and multiple Soweto Marathon champion had a few butterflies in her stomach as she addressed the media. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 'Yes, I am nervous,' Van Zyl said, before breaking into her trademark giggle. 'But I am looking forward to it because it's been on my to-do list for a long time. I think it is time now, and hopefully after Sunday I will still have the legs to come back and do the Up Run, because that was the actual plan – to start with the Up Run and not the Down Run. Ja, I am excited, but let's see what happens.' Van Zyl has been training on the race route in preparation for her debut, but she says she does not see that as giving her any more advantage than the others. 'Ja, I've only done one route-tester and I didn't even finish that one, because that day I only managed to do 45km when the plan was to do 52km. But I'm gonna run and finish on Sunday.' That much is expected of her, Van Zyl having proven herself as one of the country's best distance runners over many years. Her multiple victories in the gruelling Soweto Marathon suggest she has what it takes to tackle the 90km monster that is the Comrades. In any case, she has done ultras before – having previously held the world 50km record, and also performing well at the slightly longer 56km Two Oceans Marathon, where she once dipped under the previous record when she finished second to the phenomenal Gerda Steyn. The two are now teammates at Hollywood Athletics Club, who are expected to dominate the women's race, with Steyn once again the favourite to win the title of the KwaZulu-Natal ultra she loves so much.
