Following a release from the Comrades Marathon Association, we are saddened to publish that Cheryl Winn, the 1982 women’s winner, a former Chair of the CMA Board, passed away on Sunday, 5 October. Tragically, she passed away while pursuing one of her passions, nature photography, on a family holiday in the Drakensberg.
Running Career and Victory
Cheryl Winn began her involvement in running in the early 1970s while at university in the United States, initially jogging simply as a social activity. Upon discovering the sport, she found a natural talent for competition. She became deeply involved in the sport, noting, “If you suddenly discover that late in life, when I hadn’t been good in any sport ever in my life, and you suddenly discover something that you’re good at. I mean, obviously, it just grabs you. And that’s what happened with me.”
Her running progression led her inevitably to the Comrades Marathon, which, at the time, “totally dominated the running scene. It’s the reason why groups of people got together to train. In fact, the entire road running calendar was built around building up towards the Comrades Marathon.”
Cheryl ran the Comrades Marathon six times between 1978 and 1984, consistently placing near the front of the women’s field. She finished fourth in her first race, was runner-up twice in 1980 and 1981, and ultimately claimed the women’s title in 1982. She often attributed her success to mental fortitude, stating in a podcast with Cherie Turner: “I think what I had was more determination. I had what it took in my head more than anything else.”
Leadership and Administration
Even while still competing, Winn became involved in the administration of athletics, initially at the club and provincial level, working alongside her late husband, Mick Winn, himself a former CMA Chairman. She served extensively within the national federation, the South African Road Running Association (SARRA), which later became Athletics South Africa (ASA).
Her commitment to the race she conquered only deepened on the administrative side. In 2017, she was elected as the Chairperson of the CMA Board, becoming the only person in the race’s history to have won the Comrades Marathon and subsequently held the top administrative post. She considered this role a privilege and a duty, reflecting: “I sincerely regard this latest development at Comrades, not as an achievement, but a humble responsibility I have been entrusted with by my colleagues to lead softly, contribute and pass on the knowledge and experience I have accumulated over many years.”
Cheryl was a dedicated disciple of transformation in sport, embracing changes within the structure of athletics, believing that true leadership demanded “humility, empathy, trust, and respect.”
Reflecting on the transformative power of the race, she said in a podcast with Cherie Turner: “There’s something about committing yourself to something as big as the Comrades Marathon that does sort of change your perception of yourself. It changes what you believe about yourself.” She continued to serve the CMA after stepping down as Chairperson in 2021, holding positions on the Finance, Marketing & Membership, Heritage & Traditions, and Elders Committees.
The sport has lost a tremendous woman; our sincere condolences to Cheryl’s family during this hard time.
