Gerda Steyn returned to the City of Roses for her first competitive race in Bloemfontein with a message that could outlast any finish-line clock: believe in your dreams, work hard and never rule yourself out.
The ultra-distance specialist, a five-time Comrades Marathon champion and seven-time Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon ultra winner, found herself back in the city of her birth for Sunday’s inaugural Absa RUN YOUR CITY MANGAUNG 10K, where 5,000 participants turned the streets into a rolling celebration of road running.
Steyn grew up in Bothaville and studied at the University of the Free State. Her homecoming carried a personal significance, and she used it to encourage the next generation to dream big.
“If I think back to the years I lived here in Bloemfontein, nobody would have imagined that Gerda would become a professional athlete, win the Comrades or become an Olympic athlete,” she said.
“Never think it cannot be you. You can achieve something if you work hard for it and believe in your dreams. You can accomplish great things if you are prepared to put in the hard work every day.”
Known for conquering ultra-distance challenges, Steyn also showed her versatility over 10km, finishing sixth overall in the women’s race in 35:01 as the second South African behind winner Glenrose Xaba.
The Boxer Athletics Club star claimed her first Absa RUN YOUR CITY Seriesvictory of the season in 32:10. Kenya’s Jackline Rotich was second in 32:15, with Lesotho’s Neheng Khatala third in 32:19 after winning the Hollywoodbets Joburg 10K the previous week.
“I’m very excited to win Absa. I’m glad that I’m able to be the one crossing the line,” Xaba said.
The course served up a stern test around the seven-kilometre mark, where a climb demanded both strength and tactical discipline. Xaba had inspected the route the previous day and was prepared for the challenge.
She also stressed the importance of bringing elite athletes closer to young fans, giving children the chance to meet their role models and picture themselves lining up in future races.
In the men’s race, Kenya’s Felix Masai Kibet, winner of the 2026 Two Oceans Half-Marathon, set the pace and held firm to win in 28:14.
“I enjoy racing in South Africa, just like Two Oceans Half-Marathon earlier this year. It went well again today,” he said. “I felt good. There was no competition from start to finish. The course was quite fast, with a hill with two kilometres to go.”
South Africa’s Kabelo Mulaudzi finished second in 28:43, followed by teammate Zenzile Pheko in 28:54.
Mulaudzi admitted he had left his challenge too late after allowing Masai Kibet to dictate the early pace. “Filex started fast. We thought we would catch him. But by the time we started to close the gap it was too late. I’m happy with today because I’ve been struggling with injury this year. The race was good. It’s just that I closed the gap too late,” he said.
The Mangaung race added Bloemfontein to the six-event series, which drew about 60,000 participants across its events. The Cape Town race was cancelled because of adverse weather.
For Steyn, the day’s lasting legacy may have been the reminder that every champion starts somewhere, and sometimes the most powerful finish is the one that inspires someone else to begin.
Gerda Steyn is accustomed to conquering the long road, but at the Hollywoodbets Joburg 10k on Sunday, the queen of South African ultra-running will need to summon her speed, sharpen her instincts and keep her rivals firmly in her sights.
The race starts at 7:30am at Nasrec, where 12 000 entrants are expected to turn the occasion into a celebration of running, community and personal achievement. At the sharp end of the elite women’s contest, Steyn faces a compelling challenge from Hollywood Athletics Club teammateNeheng Khatala and UK-born athlete Emma Pallant-Browne.
With defending champion Fridah Ndinda absent, the battle for the title is wide open. Steyn finished second behind the Kenyan last year and will be determined to go one better in the third edition, with R40 000 awaiting the winner.
The seven-time Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon and five-time Comrades Marathon champion has built a reputation on
endurance, resilience and an ability to deliver when the kilometres begin to bite. Yet she is taking nothing for granted over a distance where the pace is fierce and the margin for error is razor-thin.
The Hollywood AC star made it clear that a podium finish would represent a significant achievement.
“The 10km race dynamic is very unpredictable, and I know that there will be strong competition on Sunday. Yes, the previous winner is not here, but there are many other elite runners, so just to finish on the podium will be an amazing achievement for me.”
Khatala’s presence adds an intriguing club dimension to the contest, while Pallant-Browne brings another formidable challenge to a race that should demand speed and tactical nous from the opening strides.
Steyn has increasingly embraced the 10km as an important part of her racing calendar, using the shorter distance to develop speed and maintain her competitive edge ahead of a demanding 2027 season.
“It’s very exciting for me to line up in yet another 10km race because I always find the 10km race distance so challenging and so different to the marathons and ultra-marathons. These races play a very specific role in my preparation throughout the year.
“You have to challenge yourself at a much faster pace and you have to remain focused during each and every single second of the race.”
Her training has also taken a new direction this year, with trail running added to the mix as she prepares for the challenge of a 100km trail race next year. It is another test of versatility for an athlete whose appetite for endurance challenges appears boundless.
For Steyn, Sunday is an opportunity to turn that preparation into a performance and test herself against quality opposition on a faster stage.
She also has an encouraging message for the thousands of recreational runners lining up at Nasrec, particularly those tackling their first 10km.
Enjoy the experience, trust your preparation and make the most of the opportunity to be part of one of South Africa’s biggest road-running events.
Whether chasing a personal best, completing a first 10km or racing for the R40 000 prize, every runner will have a finish line worth celebrating.
For Steyn, though, the mission is clear: turn last year’s silver into gold. With Khatala and Pallant-Browne in the mix, the road to victory promises to be anything but a Sunday stroll.
For one of South Africa’s most accomplished road runners, the race carries a personal significance. Steyn grew up in the Free State and attended university there, yet has never raced competitively in the province.
She describes her Mangaung debut as a “homecoming” and a full-circle moment.
“The Free State is where I grew up and also where I went to university. Being part of this first Absa RUN YOUR CITY MANGAUNG 10K feels like a homecoming, a full-circle moment because I’ve never actually raced in the Free State or the Northern Cape,” Steyn said.
“I’m sure I will recognise every corner and every turn. Racing a 10km also exposes me to a different side of the running community because I get to meet different people and new faces that I don’t get to meet at the marathons and the ultra-marathons. It’s very, very special indeed.”
The shorter distance will also serve a practical purpose as she rebuilds her speed following another demanding ultra-marathon season.
“I always find that stepping down from the ultra-marathon and marathon distance to race a 10km is very beneficial,” she said.
“After success at the Totalsports TWO OCEANS ULTRA MARATHON and Comrades Marathons this year, I’ve had time to recover and I’m back on the road again, working on my speed.”
The “Smiling Assassin” knows the 10km demands a different kind of aggression.
“The training and the racing for 10km is quite different to the long distances. There’s no room for mistakes. You have to be ready to go from the gun, which forces me to stay sharp and keep focusing on the speed side of my training.”
Steyn has previous experience of the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series, having competed in the inaugural Tshwane 10K in 2023.
The series began in Cape Town in 2015 and attracted more than 50 000 runners across the country last year. Mangaung becomes its sixth city.
“I think from the start the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series has had such a wonderful reputation for bringing mass participation and world-class elite-level performances to the heart of South Africa’s urban spaces,” Steyn said.
“Every runner can attest to the fact that the experience, from entering the race to finishing the race, is always so pleasant, which is why we have seen its tremendous growth.”
“Gerda has such a strong connection to the Free State, so to have her return to race here for the first time makes this a particularly special moment,” Meyer said.
The race starts at 07:00 at the Sir George Grey Street exit of Grey College, with the finish on Kings Way.
Steyn’s target is straightforward.
“My aim is to get the most out of myself on race day, which is all I can ask of myself.”
In Mangaung, the ultra queen gets a chance to show how sharp her shorter-distance claws remain.
The Comrades Marathon has started the countdown to its biggest chapter yet.
The 2027 Down Run, on Sunday, 13 June, will celebrate the 100th edition of the Ultimate Human Race, with the finish moving to the Kings Park Rugby Precinct in Durban and the entry cap rising to a record 28,000 runners.
The centenary campaign, The Greatest Story Ever Run, was unveiled at Kings Park on Wednesday, alongside a special 100th-edition logo.
The slogan, selected from more than 200 submissions from the Comrades community, neatly captures an event whose history has been built kilometre by gruelling kilometre since 1921.
For CMA General Manager Alain Dalais, the centenary is an opportunity for a new generation to add its own footprints to an extraordinary legacy.
“The Comrades Marathon has such a rich history, from the pioneers of the 1920s who ran to pay tribute to their comrades in arms from the Great War, to the hundreds of thousands of runners who have shaped the legacy of this phenomenal event by adding their own stories to Comrades Marathon lore over the past century.”
“Now in 2027, we get to add a glorious 100th chapter to this story as we celebrate the centenary of one of the world’s greatest running events, and we invite our 2027 entrants to honour those who came before them while contributing to this next chapter of the race.”
The numbers surrounding the race are almost as imposing as the hills.
The 28,000-entry ceiling will make 2027 the largest Comrades field ever, surpassing the 24,172 entries recorded for the 2025 Down Run and the 24,636 entries for the 2019 Up Run.
“While we want as many runners as responsibly possible to experience this historic centenary race, the safety of our participants, volunteers, spectators and communities remains our foremost priority.”
Traffic management, transport, crowd control and venue operations will all receive additional attention as the CMA prepares to squeeze another sizeable slice of humanity onto the road.
The Kings Park move should provide breathing room at the business end of the race. Forge says the sports fields will offer more space for the finish area and race village, with improved runner flow, medical services, recovery, hospitality, transport and post-race operations.
The route is expected to measure approximately 91km, although the official distance will only be confirmed after formal measurement following roadworks. The 2025 Down Run measured 89.98km, while the longest Comrades route was 92km in 1971.
There is another welcome piece of news for aspiring centurions: entry fees will remain unchanged.
Entries open on Tuesday, 25 August 2026, through three phases. Green Number and Yellow Number athletes receive first access, followed by CMA Members and then general entries.
“Our 2027 race will be the largest edition of the Comrades Marathon yet, and we know that this launch is just the beginning of an incredibly exciting build-up to the next Down Run, and the start of an exciting next century of the race.”
The 2027 Down Run starts at 05:00 from Pietermaritzburg City Hall, with a 12-hour time limit and the finish at Kings Park.
A century of sweat, sacrifice, heartbreak and heroics has brought Comrades to this point.
Now 28,000 runners get the chance to leave their footprints on history.
The greatest story ever run is ready for another chapter.
George Kusche has conquered the Comrades Marathon. Now the reigning champion wants to find out whether his legs still have enough sting to mix it with the 10km specialists.
Kusche will line up at the sold-out Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K on 23 August, with Kenya’s Salem Kibet arriving with victory firmly in his sights.
The 28-year-old Kusche has never been a one-distance pony. A sub-four-minute mile and 13:28.95 5000m personal best from his US NCAA days provided the speed foundation for his road-running career.
A 28:56 10km in Gqeberha in 2024 was followed by a 2:20:12 marathon debut in Cape Town and fourth place at last year’s Soweto Marathon.
Then came his Comrades masterpiece.
George Kusche is set to tackle the Tshwane 10k in his home town Pretoria. PHOTO CREDIT: Action Photo
Kusche clocked 5:15:56 on 14 June to obliterate the Up Run record by more than eight minutes. It was an ultra-marathon performance with a sprinter’s heartbeat underneath it.
Now he wants to put that speed back under the microscope.
“It’s very important for me to run a fast 10km because I train as a marathon athlete year-round and then I switch to Comrades-specific training in March,” Kusche said.
“And if you want to be a good marathoner, you must be able to run a good 10km. So I’m hoping to be able to run a good race at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K. I’d love to see if I can run sub-30 minutes, which should be a good time at altitude. I’m curious to see how well I can do. I’m in decent shape and I’m really looking forward to this.”
A sub-30-minute run could put Kusche in the thick of the action, although Tshwane’s hills have a habit of turning confident runners into humble pedestrians. Only 10 men broke 30 minutes in last year’s race.
Kibet knows the terrain and the pace required.
Joshua Cheptegei and Salem Kibet in action at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K in July this year. PHOTO CREDIT: Anthony Grote
The Kenyan arrives after running a lifetime-best 27:29 for second behind Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei in Durban last month. He now wants to move one place higher.
“My target is to improve on my performance from Durban and compete for the win,” Kibet said.
“Finishing second in Durban was not easy, especially running alongside a great athlete like Joshua Cheptegei. That experience taught me a lot. I thank God for the opportunity, and I am looking forward to giving my best in Tshwane.”
Stillwater Sports managing director Michael Meyer believes the meeting of Kusche’s endurance and Kibet’s speed could add serious spice to the Pretoria showdown.
“George Kusche’s decision to test himself over 10km against a field of established specialists adds another fascinating dimension to what is shaping up to be a highly competitive Absa RUN YOUR CITY TSHWANE 10K,” Meyer said.
“He has already shown that he has the speed and endurance to compete at the highest level, and it will be exciting to see what he can produce over 10km after his record-breaking Comrades victory.”
Kusche brings the endurance. Kibet brings the velocity. Tshwane supplies the hills.
With two kilometres remaining, George Kusche glanced at the race clock for the first time all day.
The display showed roughly 5:08.
His body felt like a battered vehicle limping home after a cross-country expedition. His left calf had been threatening mutiny for more than 30 kilometres. Every stride sent warning signals through weary muscles. The road tilted and twisted ahead like a mischievous serpent refusing to surrender its final secrets.
Yet something curious happened.
The mathematics suddenly made sense.
“I remember thinking, if I run 10 minutes in these last two kilometres, I’m still going to run 5:18.”
For most runners, that would be astonishing pace after nearly 86 kilometres.
For Kusche, it was a moment of realisation.
History was waiting at the finish line.
The remarkable part is that he still wasn’t thinking about winning.
“I thought to myself, I can’t think about anything else now. I need to focus on putting my foot in front of the other and running as fast as I can.”
That fear may have been his greatest ally.
Because while many runners arrive at Comrades armed with bravado and bold predictions, Kusche approached the race like a scientist approaching an unsolved equation.
Carefully.
Methodically.
Relentlessly.
And in doing so, he produced one of the greatest performances the race has ever witnessed.
THE UNDERDOG WHO WAS NEVER CHASING A TROPHY
When Kusche crossed the finish line at Hollywoodbets Scottsville Racecourse in Pietermaritzburg, the clock stopped at 5:15:56.
The time demolished Russian Leonid Shvetsov’s 18-year-old Up Run record of 5:24:49 by almost nine minutes.
It also delivered the fastest average pace ever recorded in the history of the Comrades Marathon.
Yet the journey began not with victory but with disappointment disguised as success.
A year earlier, the former NCAA athlete had finished 12th in his Comrades debut.
Many runners would have celebrated.
Kusche analysed.
“On the day I knew that was the absolute best I could have done,” he said.
“But I know I made a lot of mistakes preparing for that Comrades because it was my first one. I was naive about what it takes to run Comrades.”
The race became a classroom.
The student paid attention.
PROJECT 2026
George Kusche at the 2026 Comrades Winners Breakfast Photo: Adnaan Mohamed
Most athletes emerging from a strong debut create a target.
Kusche created a process.
“It was Project 2026, but not to win.”
That statement sounds almost absurd after what followed.
“It was Project 2026 to focus on the process as much as I can and make sure that on June 14, 2026, I show up as the absolute best version that I could be.”
“If that means a win, then I’m happy.”
The distinction matters.
The goal was not a trophy.
The goal was optimisation.
Every kilometre became a data point.
Every session became an experiment.
Every mistake became valuable information.
THE SCIENTIST IN THE RUNNING SHOES
Away from racing, Kusche works full-time as a Data Scientist at Pepkor Lifestyle.
The numbers are woven into his DNA.
Born in Malalane in Mpumalanga, educated at Laerskool Malelane and Affies in Pretoria, he earned a Master’s degree in Statistics and passed eight Actuarial Society of South Africa examinations on his first attempt.
He coaches himself.
That revelation surprised Fordyce.
In an era overflowing with coaches, consultants and performance gurus, Kusche remains his own architect.
“I coach myself.”
His approach combines science and instinct.
“I accumulated a lot of volume, but that came over a period of a year.”
“It’s a gradual increase in both volume and intensity and elevation gain.”
“I meticulously tracked various metrics over time and ensured that they increased and peaked at the right time.“
The scientist measured everything.
The athlete listened to his body.
The combination proved potent.
THE HILL THAT BUILT A CHAMPION
Every Tuesday, a hill in Pretoria became his laboratory.
He repeatedly climbed and descended Platheus Hill.
No dramatic sprinting.
No social media heroics.
No chest-thumping workouts.
“I simply jogged up and jogged down.”
“And I just let the elevation gain do the damage it had to do.”
Slowly, the hill surrendered.
“Without increasing my effort, I could see my pace increasing and my heart rate decreasing.”
Like water carving a canyon, the work accumulated quietly until the results became impossible to ignore.
THE OVERTRAINING MYTH
As race day approached, whispers began circulating.
Some observers believed Kusche was training too much.
Even Fordyce and former champion Nick Bester had concerns.
“We said George is terribly overtrained.”
Kusche knew the rumours.
“I know about the overtraining allegations.”
His answer reflected the analytical mindset that defines him.
“You can’t look at one number and say someone’s overtraining.”
“My workouts kept improving.”
His peak week reached an eye-watering 259 kilometres.
Yet he remembers feeling restrained.
“I felt like I could have done 300.”
“I felt guilty not running more.”
The engine was humming.
The data agreed.
THE SURGES THAT BROKE THE RACE
The winning move arrived long before he took the lead.
Running within a pack, Kusche sensed comfort spreading among his rivals.
Comfort is dangerous in championship racing.
So he attacked it.
“I didn’t want the pack to be comfortable.”
Climbing Inchanga, he repeatedly surged.
Not wildly.
Not recklessly.
Simply enough to raise the temperature.
“I felt really strong.”
“I just decided to go in front of the pack and gradually increase the pace.”
The surges acted like tiny cracks in a dam wall.
Invisible at first.
Devastating later.
“After about four of those surges, I decided it’s now time to go for gold.”
The race had changed.
The field simply had not realised it yet.
FEAR ON POLLY SHORTTS
For television viewers, Kusche looked magnificent.
Fordyce remembers watching him move through Harrison Flats and immediately predicting victory.
“George is going to win.”
The reality unfolding inside Kusche’s body was far less glamorous.
“My left calf was cramping.”
“My legs were sore.”
“I kind of felt tired.”
Then came Polly Shortts.
The notorious climb often acts like a final judge standing between contenders and champions.
Fortunately, Kusche had studied every metre.
“I knew exactly how long that hill would be.“
That knowledge became a psychological weapon.
“I knew it’s two kilometres.”
“I knew that if I could get to the top in the lead and feeling strong and maintain my pace, then the odds are good of winning.”
What happened next was pure courage.
“I didn’t feel good.”
“But I went up that hill giving it everything I had.”
The 2026 Comrades Marathon delivered many memorable performances on the gruelling 85.777km journey from Durban to Pietermaritzburg, though few stories captured the spirit of the race quite like those of Johannes Mosehla and Bailey O’Leary.
Separated by 64 years in age, the pair finished the 99th edition of the Ultimate Human Race as its oldest and youngest official finishers.
Mosehla, 84, crossed the line in 11:12:26 on Sunday to break his own record as the oldest finisher in Comrades history. In doing so, the Polokwane Running Club member finished ahead of thousands of runners many decades his junior.
The veteran runner, who began his running journey in 1963, said the achievement was a source of pride and gratitude.
“To be the oldest finisher at Comrades is a great honour,” said Mosehla.
“This race continues to inspire me every year. Running has given me so much throughout my life. I hope my journey encourages people to stay active, stay disciplined and keep chasing their goals regardless of age.”
“You must listen to your body, eat well, rest properly and enjoy what you are doing. Running should bring happiness. I still love training in the mountains and spending time outdoors.”
While Mosehla represented experience and endurance, O’Leary embodied youthful ambition.
The 20-year-old, who lives in the United Kingdom and whose parents are both originally from Durban, finished her Comrades debut in 10:42:51 to become the youngest female finisher in this year’s race.
Her first Comrades was made even more special by sharing the journey with her father, Jon O’Leary.
Proud dad Jon O’ Leary with his daughter Bailey O’ Leary at the Comrades Winners breakfast on Monday 15 June 2026. Photo: Adnaan Mohamed
“I grew up supporting my dad and listening to stories about Comrades,” said Bailey.
“He inspired my love for the race and it was always my dream to run my first Comrades with him. He helped me a lot, especially in the first half, and crossing the finish line was incredibly special.”
For Jon, the day was about far more than another medal.
“It was one of the proudest moments of my life,” he said.
“Comrades means so much to our family. To see Bailey achieve her goal and share the experience with her from start to finish was unforgettable.”
As the Comrades Marathon prepares to celebrate its centenary in 2027, both runners have already confirmed their intention to return.
Mosehla will aim to extend his remarkable record, while O’Leary hopes to secure a special back-to back medal awarded to novices for consecutive finishes.
Bailey O’ Leary in action on the 2026 Comrades Marathon Up Run Route Photo: Supplied
Their stories served as a powerful reminder that Comrades remains a race where generations meet, dreams endure and the finish line belongs to anyone willing to keep moving forward.
After shattering one of South African sport’s most enduring records and banking more than R2.3 millionGeorge Kusche revealed that Springbok mastermind Rassie Erasmus ‘Pressure is a privilege’ philosophy had a profound impact on him being crowned 2026 Comrades Marathon champion.
Kusche says one of the most influential ideas shaping his outlook is Erasmus’ belief that pressure is not something to fear, but a privilege earned by doing what you love while millions of others face far greater daily struggles.
For Kusche, that perspective proved as valuable as any training session in helping him navigate the weight of expectation before producing a breathtaking 5:15:56 from Durban to Pietermaritzburg, obliterating Leonid Shvetsov’s 18-year-old course record and writing himself into Comrades folklore.
“In terms of pressure, I’ve got huge respect for Piet and the way he shows up every year and hits it out of the park. It takes a lot of guts to do that and obviously Gerda does that as well,” Kusche said.
“I often think of Rassie Erasmus when he said this is not pressure, this is a privilege to do what you love and hopefully I can keep that mindset next year.”
Those words perhaps explain why Kusche looked so composed while executing one of the boldest race plans in recent Comrades history.
He surged to the front early, trusted months of meticulous preparation and refused to blink as the kilometres mounted. The calculated gamble dismantled a record that had survived for nearly two decades and left defending champion Piet Wiersma and surprise package Mbuti Mollo chasing shadows, despite both finishing beneath the previous record.
Ironically, the race that delivered one of the richest prize hauls in South African road running history reinforced Kusche’s belief that money should never be the driving force.
At Monday’s winners’ breakfast, the 28-year-old received a standing ovation while collecting a series of bonus cheques, including R602,000 for breaking the Up Run record. Together with the winner’s prize, average pace incentive, first South African bonus and other rewards, his earnings climbed beyond R2.3 million, with further sponsor incentives still possible.
Yet financial reward barely featured in his thoughts.
“I haven’t really thought about the financial aspect yet,” Kusche admitted.
“If you’re running for the money I think you’re in the wrong sport.”
Instead, his greatest satisfaction appeared to come from achieving something that only a year ago seemed improbable.
The Pretoria-based runner laughed that he woke up on Monday morning and checked the date to make sure he was not dreaming.
“I think it’s slowly starting to sink in.”
His journey has never followed a conventional route.
Born in Malalane, Kusche left South Africa as an 800m athlete before studying in the United States, eventually earning a Masters in Statistics after spells at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northern Arizona University.
When a professional running contract failed to materialise, he returned home, built a career as a data scientist and stepped away from competitive athletics.
Running, however, refused to loosen its grip.
With the backing of Nedbank Running Club manager and 1991 Comrades championNick Bester, Kusche rebuilt himself from scratch, applying the same analytical discipline to training that he uses in his professional life.
He still balances elite competition with full-time work, believing that stability away from the roads has strengthened rather than hindered his performances.
His fourth-place finish in the Totalsports Two Oceans Half Marathon, rapid marathon progression and 12th-place finish on his Comrades debut last year all hinted at enormous potential.
Sunday confirmed it.
There was no visible panic, no signs of a man burdened by expectation, only calm execution from the first stride to the last.
Perhaps that is the real legacy of Erasmus’ philosophy.
Pressure is not a crushing weight carried by champions.
It is a privilege earned through sacrifice, embraced with gratitude and rewarded through preparation.
George Kusche did not merely win the 2026 Comrades Marathon.
PIETERMARITZBURG – George Kusche andGerda Steyndelivered one of the most remarkable days inComrades Marathonhistory on Sunday, smashing long-standing Up Run records and each walking away with more than R2.3 million in prize money and incentive bonuses.
On a shortened 85.777km route, the fastest in recorded Up Run history, expectations of rapid times proved well founded as both champions produced performances that rewrote the record books.
Kusche stormed to victory in 5:15:56, obliterating the previous men’s Up Run record of 5:24:49 set by Leonid Shvetsov in 2008. His average pace of 3:40.99 per kilometre also eclipsed Vladimir Kotov’s long-standing benchmark for the best average pace.
Dutch defending champion Piet Wiersma finished second in 5:19:36, with South Africa’s Mbuti Mollo taking third in 5:21:31 after leading for much of the race. Great Britain’s Alex Milne and Japan’s Haruki Okayama also dipped beneath the previous course record, underlining the extraordinary pace of the contest.
For Kusche, the victory only became real at the finish line.
George Kusche stormed to victory and obliterated the previous men’s Up Run record and set a new benchmark for the best average pace.
“I honestly didn’t believe I was going to win until I crossed the finish line. Comrades is extremely hard mentally, and there was no way I could know that they were not going to catch me, so I pushed as hard as I could and hoped that nobody would pass me.”
The South African, who finished 12th on debut a year ago, made his decisive move after Mollo began to struggle late in the race and never looked back.
“Comrades is a nerve-wrecking experience. This past week it was very hard to think about anything except the Comrades, and I’m very grateful that everything worked out as planned. It’s a bit of a gamble by going out early, but luckily it paid off this time around,” he said.
Steyn was equally dominant in the women’s race, clocking 5:44:53 to improve on the Up Run record she established in 2024. She also lowered her own best average pace mark while securing a fifth Comrades title, made up of three Up Run victories and two Down Run triumphs.
“It is an honour to come away with another Comrades Marathon win and a new course record. It’s what I have been dreaming of and working for since the start of the year,” Steyn said.
“I ran this Comrades as if it was my last race, but after crossing the finish line I already know it was far from my last. I can’t imagine my life without this race and I’m already looking forward to the 2027 centenary edition.”
Zimbabwe’s Nobukhosi Tshuma claimed second in 5:53:36 after overcoming significant personal sacrifices during her preparation, while South Africa’s Irvette van Zyl completed the podium in 6:02:30.
The record-breaking performances also produced record-breaking rewards.
Kusche and Steyn each earned R2.322 million through victory prize money, the Cell C top-up, first South African incentives, Up Run record bonuses and the Cell C average pace incentive.
Comrades Marathon Association general manager Alain Dalais described the event as an outstanding rehearsal for next year’s centenary edition.
“We are incredibly proud of the 2026 race and our two record-breaking winners. George Kusche lived up to the pre-race expectation by shattering the men’s Up Run record, while Gerda Steyn joined some of the most illustrious legends of this great race with five wins.
“It was a fantastic elite race with record-breaking performances and a truly fitting spectacle for the 50th edition of the Up Run.”
Top 10 Men 1 George Kusche Nedbank Running Club GN South Africa 5:15:56 2 Piet Wiersma Nedbank Running Club International Netherlands 5:19:36 3 Mbuti Mollo Maxed Elite KZN South Africa 5:21:31 4 Alex Milne Nedbank Running Club International Great Britain 5:22:29 5 Haruki Okayama Nedbank Running Club International Japan 5:24:46 6 Charles Lawrence adidas United States of America 5:27:08 7 Lloyd Bosman Nedbank Running Club SWD South Africa 5:28:53 8 Nikolai Volkov Nedbank Running Club International ANA 5:28:59 9 Vasilii Korytkin Kemerovo Runners ANA 5:29:29 10 Tebogo Pulusa Dwarsrivier Mine Athletic Club South Africa 5:29:40
Top 10 Women 1 Gerda Steyn Hollywood Athletic Club CGA South Africa 5:44:53 2 Nobukhosi Tshuma Entsika Zimbabwe 5:53:36 3 Irvette van Zyl Hollywood Athletic Club CGA South Africa 6:02:30 4 Shelmith Muruiki Entsika Kenya 6:06:38 5 Naomi Robinson Nedbank Running Club International Great Britain 6:07:55 6 Loveness Madziva Nedbank Running Club Zimbabwe Zimbabwe 6:09:54 7 Courtney Olsen Hollywood Athletic Club International United States of America 6:11:20 8 Dikiledi Majara Nedbank Running Club AFS Lesotho 6:12:29 9 Jenet Mbhele Umzimkhulu Striders South Africa 6:13:08 10 Carla Molinaro Hollywood Athletic Club International Great Britain 6:14:04
For Dijana, preparation has followed a familiar script.
The three-time Down Run champion says an injury-free training block and altitude camp in Dullstroom have laid a solid platform for another assault on the title, with the biggest adjustment coming in mindset rather than methodology.
“The preparation went well and injury free,” Dijana said.
“Our training stays more or less the same because the hills are always there, but mentally you have to approach it differently and put more emphasis on strength.”
Hollywood’s backing has also given him confidence throughout the campaign, although the defending champion is not buying into suggestions that there is no pressure.
“I’m defending. I have to deliver and make history for myself,” he said.
Alongside him is Mothibi, whose move to Hollywood has strengthened an already imposing purple challenge.
The 2019 winner says he has largely trusted the methods that brought success in previous years, with extra focus placed on improving speed to match a younger generation of contenders.
Hollywood AC’s Happy Bunch taking a break during training. Photo: Supplied
He believes some of his biggest rivals are the athletes he trains with every day.
“Tete is part of our Happy Bunch,” Mothibi said. “I know how fit those guys are because I train with them. Those are the competitors I understand best.”
Mothibi also praised Hollywood’s athlete-first approach, saying the club creates an environment free from unnecessary pressure while giving runners every opportunity to perform.
Standing in their way is Wiersma, whose remarkable rise has transformed him into one of the race’s biggest stars.
The Dutchman insists being labelled defending champion feels strange after winning the last Up Run rather than last year’s Down Run, though he believes this could be the strongest preparation of his career.
“I’ve done the best training of my life,” Wiersma said.
After overcoming illness earlier in the season and maintaining a carefully controlled routine, he arrives convinced he has given himself every possible chance.
His respect for Dijana and Mothibi remains evident despite the changing club colours.
“Before the race and after the race we’re friends,” he said.
“During the race we don’t show each other mercy, no matter what colours we’re wearing.”
Perhaps the strongest insight into Wiersma’s mindset comes from his description of unfinished business.
He has finished second by seconds, won while narrowly missing the course record and again fallen agonisingly short of victory.
Now he believes the depth of this year’s field could produce something special.
“With a field this strong, there’s a very high chance the course record will be broken,” he said.
For Wiersma, Comrades has changed his life, providing the platform to pursue professional running full time after shelving plans for a PhD.
Living and training in Kenya has also reshaped his perspective.
“The mindset there is incredible,” he said. “People wake up every day knowing they have to do everything right because it affects what happens months later.”
By sunrise on Sunday, predictions will count for little.
The road from Durban to Pietermaritzburg has a habit of humbling favourites and elevating dreamers.
If Dijana’s pursuit of history, Mothibi’s experience and Wiersma’s relentless ambition unfold as expected, the 2026 Comrades Marathon could produce another chapter worthy of its legendary status.
