The Hollywood Athletics Club star is enjoying the richest vein of form of her career, but Sunday’s commanding victory in Durban merely confirmed where her attention lies. The Commonwealth Games 5 000m in Glasgow is the next target. After that, Glenrose Xaba’s South African 10km road record moves firmly into view.
Kavanagh underlined her credentials with another front-running display in the second leg of the SPAR Grand Prix series, clocking 31:32 after leading from gun to tape. The performance trimmed one second off the 31:33 she recorded while winning the opening race in Cape Town in March.
Ethiopia’s Selam Gebre stayed within striking distance before finishing second in 31:45, while Kavanagh’s Hollywood teammate Neheng Khatala completed the podium in 32:08.
The victory added another chapter to a remarkable season. The 25-year-old lowered her personal best to 31:26 at the Sanlam Cape Town 10km Peace Run in May, secured a third successive title in that race and swept to national crowns over 5 000m and 10 000m at the South African Championships in Stellenbosch.
Despite opening a healthy advantage in the SPAR standings, Kavanagh says the series title is not driving her schedule.
“My focus is on the Commonwealth Games. I have one more 10K and then all eyes are on the Commonwealth Games,” she said.
“I haven’t committed to any other SPAR races yet, so I can’t tell you if I’ll be trying to win the whole series. I’m trying to participate in the ones that I can.”
Durban presented a different challenge to Cape Town, where Kavanagh spent much of the race chasing Glenrose Xaba. This time she dictated the pace from the front and trusted her instincts.
“I was quite proud of how I managed to relax within the race, constantly checking in with myself and how my body was reacting.”
“Selam and I had a really good race. At the 9km mark I still felt I had something left in the legs, so I tried to open up. I was really happy with how it played out.”
While Glasgow has become her immediate destination, the national record remains the long-term prize.
Xaba’s South African 10km road record of 31:12, set in Durban in 2024 when she erased Elana Meyer’s 23-year-old mark, has become the benchmark Kavanagh wants to reach.
“I’d love to get there this season. Hopefully by the end of 2026 I can reach that goal or see how close we can get,” she said.
“I know on a good day, if everything comes together, I have a good chance. It’s a matter of time. It’s in God’s hands when it happens, but it’s something I do want to chase.”
The stopwatch has become Kavanagh’s toughest opponent.
If her current trajectory continues, Glasgow could provide another springboard before she takes aim at one of South African road running’s most treasured records.
SPAR GRAND PRIX 10KM RESULTS – DURBAN
Results of the Durban leg of the SPAR Grand Prix Series on Sunday, 28 June 2026.
Sinesipho Dambile arrived in Doha chasing another strong performance. He left with a Diamond League trophy, a personal best and a place in South African athletics history.
The 24-year-old stormed to victory in the men’s 200m over the weekend night, clocking a career-best 19.74 seconds to claim his maiden Diamond League title.
In the furnace-like conditions of the Qatari capital, with temperatures hovering around 37°C and a legal tailwind of 1.8 m/s, Dambile produced a race that was equal parts power and precision.
Running in lane five, he exited the blocks cleanly and attacked the bend with purpose. By the time the field straightened up for the home run, the South African had already edged ahead.
Zimbabwe’s Makanakaishe Charamba and Dominican Republic’s Alexander Ogando mounted a late challenge, but Dambile never looked troubled. His stride remained smooth and controlled as he powered clear over the closing metres.
The clock stopped at 19.74 seconds, trimming 0.03 seconds off his previous best and confirming the rich vein of form he has carried throughout the season.
“This is my fourth Diamond League event. I am having the best season of my life thus far. I am still building and can get even better,” Dambile said afterwards.
The result is another significant step for an athlete whose ambitions stretch well beyond Doha.
“I want to get gold at the Commonwealth Games and then go to the Ultimate Championships. I’ve never been to the Commonwealth Games before and would like to experience it. I’m also looking forward to the final Diamond League in Brussels.“
His triumph completed an unprecedented South African sprint clean sweep across the Diamond League circuit this season.
Gift Leotlelaopened the account in the 100m in Shanghai. Zakithi Nene followed in the 400m in Stockholm. Dambile’s Doha victory ensured South Africa has now produced Diamond League winners across all three major sprint distances in the same season for the first time.
The country’s sprint programme has often promised much. In 2026, it is cashing in those promises.
An Athletics South Africa spokesperson hailed the achievement.
“Sinesipho’s performance is a testament to the talent, commitment and growing strength of South African sprinting. His success reflects the progress being made across the sprint events and serves as inspiration for aspiring athletes across the country.”
With Glasgow’s Commonwealth Games and September’s Ultimate Championships looming, Dambile’s season is gathering momentum.
For now, the fastest thing in Doha was not the tailwind. It was a South African sprinter finding another gear.
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.”
Joshua Cheptegei’s appearance at the2026 Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10Khas attracted what organisers believe is the strongest men’s field ever assembled for a 10km road race on African soil.
The Ugandan superstar, an Olympic champion, multiple world champion and world record holder over 5 000m and 10 000m, will line up in Durban on 12 July against a field packed with international winners, national record holders and emerging stars eager to test themselves against one of the sport’s modern greats.
Leading the list of challengers is Kenya’s Felix Masai, whose 27:24 personal best makes him one of the fastest men in the race. The Totalsports Two Oceans Half Marathon champion expects Cheptegei’s presence to elevate the standard of competition.
Felix Masai (Kenya) has a 10km PB of 27:24. PHOTO CREDIT: Action Photo
“He is one of the greatest distance runners of all time, and competing alongside him raises the level of the entire field,” said Masai.
“My race target is to give my best. I like competing in South Africa.”
Another athlete to watch is Kenyan Gilbert Kiprotich, who arrives in Durban with confidence after a strong performance at the Lisbon Half Marathon.
“I’m feeling well after the Lisbon Half Marathon. I took some time to recover before shifting my focus to preparing for racing in South Africa,” said Kiprotich.
“Looking back to the Half Marathon, where I recorded a 10km split of 27:01 and considering how the second half of the race unfolded, I believe I am capable of running comfortably under 27:00 in Durban.”
Kiprotich believes favourable conditions and strong pacing could produce something special.
Gilbert Kiprotich (Kenya) has a 10km PB of 27:43. PHOTO SUPPLIED
“We are hoping for favourable weather conditions and strong pacing on race day. I feel inspired by the opportunity to race against Joshua Cheptegei. He is a world-class athlete, and competing alongside him will provide valuable experience and contribute significantly to my development as a professional athlete.”
Lesotho national record holder Kamohelo Mofolo returns to the race where he set his country’s 10km mark in 2025 and believes the course remains one of the fastest on the continent.
“The Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K is a flat, fast course with few turns, and if the conditions are right it allows for very quick times,” said Mofolo.
“Every race here feels like it has the potential to be something special, and I’m honoured to be part of such an impressive lineup.”
Mofolo added that racing against athletes of Cheptegei’s calibre presents a valuable opportunity.
“Racing against athletes like Joshua Cheptegei is a great opportunity because he is an amazing runner, and I’m excited to learn from the best while sharing the start line with him.”
South African hopes will rest largely on Kabelo Mulaudzi, whose development has been closely linked to the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series.
“I am grateful to the Absa RUN YOUR CITY Series because it created a platform for me to obtain an invitation to a big international race,” said Mulaudzi.
“I am extremely excited to be part of this event and it is always great to run in South Africa against the world’s best athletes.”
The South African believes competing alongside Cheptegei can bring out the best in the field.
“I have always enjoyed the challenge of racing against better athletes than myself and it is great to be lining up with Joshua. I hope that he will help bring out the best in me and all the other athletes competing in the race.”
Adding further depth is Cheptegei’s Ugandan training partner Emanuel Kibet, who boasts a personal best of 27:37 and is expected to play a significant role at the front of the race.
Stillwater Sports Managing Director and Series FounderMichael Meyer believes Cheptegei’s participation has transformed the event.
“Joshua Cheptegei’s participation has drawn a truly extraordinary depth of field to the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K, bringing together world champions, record holders, and some of the fastest road runners on the planet,” Meyer said.
“This level of quality not only elevates the competitive standard of road running in South Africa, but firmly cements the 2026 Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K as the Greatest 10K on African Soil.”
Meyer added that the strength of the field could produce a historic result.
“In conditions like these, with such depth and intent at the front of the race, the possibility of a historic performance, even a breakthrough sub-27-minute 10km, becomes a real possibility.”
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.
Running from the lonely outpost of lane nine, Nene sliced through the Stockholm air like a blade through silk, producing a composed and commanding performance to cross the line in 44.48 seconds. American Jacory Patterson chased him home in 44.69, while Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards secured third place with a season’s best 44.87.
The 28-year-old looked as though he had borrowed a page from the stadium’s memory book. Stockholm, it seems, has become his athletic love letter. The historic arena practically winked at him as he powered off the final bend and held firm down the home straight.
In an era where stopwatches are treated like royalty and fractions of a second receive more attention than some politicians, Nene’s victory carried weight beyond the clock. It was a statement wrapped in speed.
After the race, Nene reflected on the significance of returning to the venue where his Diamond League journey first blossomed, describing Stockholm as a special place in his career and expressing delight at securing another victory on Swedish soil.
His triumph highlighted another encouraging day for South African athletics. Sinesipho Dlambini produced an impressive run to finish second in the men’s 200m behind American sprint star Kenny Bednarek, Dlambini clocked 20.10 seconds. Fellow South African Mthi Mthimkulu placed fifth in the race.
Prudence Sekgodiso battled through a blisteringly fast women’s 800m to finish fifth in 1:57.70 in a race won by Switzerland’s Audrey Werro, who set a Diamond League record and world-leading time of 1:53.98.
For Nene, the result adds another glittering chapter to a season already filled with momentum. The South African 400m ranks have become a furnace of fierce competition, yet Nene continues to emerge forged and polished.
The road to the World Championships remains long, winding and unforgiving. On this Stockholm evening, however, Nene turned the track into a runway and took flight.
Zakithi Nene celebrates his second Wanda Diamond League victory in Stockholm Photo credit: Wanda Diamond League
The 99th edition of theComrades Marathon has all the ingredients of a classic.
Defending champions Tete Dijana and Gerda Steyn return to lead a star-studded elite field on Sunday as 21,677 runners tackle the 85.777km Up Run from Durban City Hall to Hollywoodbets Scottsville Racecourse in Pietermaritzburg.
With nearly all of last year’s top-10 finishers back on the start line and a record prize purse on offer, the race is poised to deliver another compelling chapter in the history of South Africa’s most iconic ultra-marathon.
The only absentee among the top 20 men and women from the 2025 race is women’s runner-up Alexandra Morozova, leaving an elite field packed with proven performers and ambitious challengers.
Race director Sue Forge expects another fiercely contested battle.
“All the signs are that this should be another thrilling race, not just in terms of proven gold medallists, but also with the addition of a number of very fast marathoners and ultra-marathoners from both South Africa and abroad, including world-class 100km competitors. We’re looking forward to seeing who claims the podium spots and a share of the biggest prize purse in the history of the Comrades Marathon.”
The elite athletes will compete for a share of R8.21 million, including incentives and bonuses, with both the men’s and women’s winners earning R925,000.
“We have made sure that the top contenders in the 2026 edition of the Comrades Marathon have 8.2 million reasons to give everything they have on the route from Durban to Pietermaritzburg,” Forge said.
“This race has always produced world-class performances, and this considerable prize purse reflects the status of both the race and the elite field we have running this year.”
The three-time champion claimed victories in 2022, 2023 and 2025, yet has never won an Up Run. A victory on Sunday would not only complete that collection, it would move him level with four-time winner Alan Robb and into a tie for third on the all-time men’s winners list.
Standing in his way is Dutch rival Piet Wiersma, winner of the most recent Up Run in 2024 and runner-up to Dijana in both 2023 and 2025.
Their rivalry has become one of the defining storylines of modern Comrades racing and could once again shape the outcome.
Three-time champion Bongmusa Mthembu also has history within reach. The veteran owns 11 gold medals and sits level with Bruce Fordyce on that list. Another gold medal would move him alongside Alan Robb with a record 12.
The men’s field is strengthened further by former winners Edward Mothibi and David Gatebe, while Nikolai Volkov, Joseph Manyedi, Alex Milne, Gordon Lesetedi and Vasilii Korytkin all return after gold-medal performances in 2025.
Several newcomers add intrigue.
South African hopeful George Kusche has attracted considerable support after finishing 12th last year, while Onalenna Khonkhobe’s impressive performances over the past 12 months have elevated him into podium discussions.
Internationally, much attention will focus on World 100km champion Aleksandr Sorokin, American record-holder Charles Lawrence and French 100km specialist Guillaume Ruel.
If Dijana is chasing history, Steyn is pursuing legacy.
The South African star has dominated women’s ultra-distance running in recent years and arrives full of confidence after securing a seventh consecutive Totalsports Two Oceans Marathon title.
Having won Comrades in 2019, 2023, 2024 and 2025, Steyn stands one victory away from becoming only the second woman in history to reach five wins.
Only eight-time champion Elena Nurgalieva has won more.
Yet the women’s race appears deeper than ever.
Kenyan Shelmith Muriuki impressed with third place on debut last year and is widely viewed as a serious contender. Irvette van Zyl enters the race after breaking the Loskop 50km course record, while Dominika Stelmach, Carla Molinaro, Caitriona Jennings, Courtney Olsen, Jenet Mbhele and Melissah Gibson all return after earning gold medals in 2025.
Adele Broodryk’s return adds further quality after she missed last year’s race, while Galaletsang Mekgoe and Jenna Challenor will be eager to force their way back into the gold-medal positions.
Zimbabwean debutant Nobukhosi Tshuma is another athlete generating interest after finishing third at this year’s Two Oceans Marathon.
Strongest field in years
The elite men’s field consists of 97 athletes, while 34 women have earned elite status.
Together they form one of the strongest line-ups assembled for the race in recent years.
For Dijana and Steyn, Sunday offers an opportunity to strengthen already impressive legacies. For the chasing pack, it presents a chance to alter the narrative.
By late afternoon in Pietermaritzburg, the 99th Comrades Marathon will have produced new heroes, fresh storylines and perhaps another piece of history on South Africa’s most famous road.
Four-time Comrades MarathonchampionGerda Steyn says her preparations for this year’s race are on track as she targets a fifth title and potentially another record-breaking performance in the iconic ultra-marathon on 14 June.
The South African star is currently completing her final training block in the French Alps ahead of the 99th edition of the race, where she will once again start as the overwhelming favourite in the women’s field.
Steyn has dominated ultra-distance running in South Africa over the past decade, building a remarkable record that includes four Comrades victories and an unprecedented seven consecutiveTotalsports Two Oceans Marathontitles.
The Hollywood Athletics Clubathlete arrives at Comrades fresh from another commanding display at Two Oceans in April, where she claimed her seventh straight crown in 3:27:43.
Her achievements at Comrades have been equally impressive.
Steyn won her first title in 2019 in an Up Run record of 5:58:53, becoming the first woman to break the six-hour barrier on the route. She added victories in 2023, 2024 and 2025 and currently holds both the Down Run record of 5:44:54, set in 2023, and the Up Run record of 5:49:46, established a year later.
This year’s race could present another opportunity for a fast time.
The official distance for the 2026 Up Run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg is 85.777km, making it the shortest Up Run in recent history and potentially opening the door for new records.
Steyn, however, remains focused on preparation rather than predictions.
“I’m really excited to line up for the Comrades Marathon again this year,” she said.
“My training so far has gone really, really well. Of course, it’s still ongoing, but all is going according to plan, especially after the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon earlier in April.”
With the route heading inland to Pietermaritzburg, Steyn has tailored her training to meet the specific demands of the Up Run.
“This year with it being an uprun, my training is also specifically tailored in making sure that I am strong on the uphills but also of course it’s a fast race.
“Even though it’s almost 90 kilometres, the pace is still fast, so I’m trying to work on all areas to be 100% ready for race day.”
Nine-time Comrades winner Bruce Fordycebelieves Steyn’s accomplishments have already secured her place among the greats of South African distance running.
“Gerda has redefined what women can achieve at Comrades and Two Oceans. Her records, consistency and professionalism place her among the greatest ultra-distance runners South Africa has ever produced,” Fordyce said.
“To hold both Comrades records and dominate Two Oceans year after year is extraordinary. She has raised the standard for everybody.”
Fordyce also highlighted Steyn’s ability to perform under pressure on the biggest stages.
“What stands out is the way she races with confidence and composure. She makes world-class performances look effortless, and that’s the mark of a truly exceptional athlete.”
This year’s race will also be Steyn’s second Comrades appearance in Hollywood Athletics Club colours.
“I’m really excited to line up for my second Comrades Marathon in the Hollywood Athletics purple colors,” she said.
“So that will also be really exciting to share the roads with so many other teammates and club mates. It’s going to be a very special day, so all the best from my side to everyone lining up this year.”
Having already rewritten large sections of the Comrades record book, Steyn heads into the 2026 race with another opportunity to strengthen her legacy. The title remains the primary target, though on a shortened Up Run route, the clock may once again become her biggest rival.
TheSanlam Cape Town Marathondelivered a landmark moment for African road running on Sunday as Ethiopia’s Mohamed Esa produced the fastest marathon ever run on African soil in a record-shattering performance through the streets of the Mother City.
Esa stormed to victory in 2:04:55, obliterating the previous course record of 2:08:16 set by fellow Ethiopian Abdisa Tola in 2024.
Mohamed Esa of Ethiopia won the 2026 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon in a new course record 2:04:55, which is the fastest time ever run on African soil. Image: Fahwaaz Cornelius
His time also eclipsed the previous fastest marathon run on the continent, the 2:06:32 recorded by Morocco’s Hicham Laqouahi in 2020, while establishing a new South African All-Comers record.
One of the key requirements for Major status is a world-class elite and wheelchair field. The 2026 edition delivered exactly that and the athletes responded by rewriting the record books.
Esa arrived in Cape Town with the quickest season-best in the field after clocking 2:04:49 in the 2025 Chicago Marathon, and delivered on that form with a decisive late surge.
He broke away from a leading pack of four inside the final three kilometres before pulling clear again in the closing stages.
The depth of the elite field underlined the quality of the race, with the first 10 runners all finishing quicker than the previous course record.
“To be honest, I was not thinking about the course record today, because my target was to win the race in my African homeland,” said Esa.
“So the win was the priority, and I was not targeting the course record, but I am really happy that I could do both today.”
Fellow Ethiopian Yihunilign Adane finished second in 2:04:59, while Kenya’s Kalipus Lomwai completed the podium in 2:05:06.
South African veteran Stephen Mokoka was the leading local athlete in 13th place in 2:10:48.
He was followed by Matlakala Bennet Seloyi, who clocked a personal best 2:12:17, while debutant Anthony Timoteusimpressed with 2:13:04 in his first marathon.
The Ethiopian later waited at the finish line to welcome fellow runners home, including marathon great Eliud Kipchoge, who finished 16th in 2:13:29.
“Eliud is my role model, and I love and respect him so much,” Esa said.
“I wanted to show the world that we are the same family of African runners.”
In the women’s race, Ethiopia completed a clean sweep of the podium positions.
The top 3 women in the 2026 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, from left, Mestawut Fikir (Ethiopia, second), Dera Dida Yami (Ethiopia, winner), and Waganesh Amare (Kenya, third).Image: Fahwaaz Cornelius
Dera Dida Yami claimed victory in 2:23:18, narrowly missing the course record of 2:22:22 set by South Africa’s Glenrose Xaba in 2024.
“I came here to win the race and that was my goal,” Dida said.
“But I’ll be very happy to come back here and try to break the course record next year.”
She also revealed that Tamirat Tola already plans to race in Cape Town next year after missing this year’s event following his London Marathon campaign.
Mestawut Fikir crossed second in 2:23:46, with Waganesh Amare third in 2:23:57.
Former women’s world champion Edna Kiplagat finished fifth in 2:25:44 at the age of 46.
South Africa’s top finisher was Mia Morrison, who placed 15th in 2:49:52.
WHEELCHAIR RECORDS SHATTERED
The wheelchair races also produced two course records.
Great Britain’s David Weir won the men’s race in 1:30:20 to better the previous mark of 1:32:09 set in 2023.
“The atmosphere was amazing with the crowd, and the weather was good as well,” said Weir.
“I didn’t plan to go for the record today, it was one of those things.”
David WeirManuela Schär
Switzerland’s Manuela Schär dominated the women’s race in 1:43:25, smashing the previous course record of 1:52:58.
“I’ve done all the Majors around the world, and this is definitely one of my favourites,” Schär said.
“The crowd was amazing, and then the view… you have the ocean and Table Mountain. It was beautiful.”
The latest edition of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon comes at a crucial stage in the event’s bid to become part of theAbbott World Marathon Majors series, strengthening its growing reputation as Africa’s leading marathon.
South African sprinter Gift Leotlela produced a major statement at the opening meeting of the 2026 Wanda Diamond League season after storming to victory in the men’s 100m in Shanghai on Saturday.
Leotlela clocked 9.97 seconds in a race decided by the narrowest of margins, with the top three separated by hundredths of a second in a dramatic photo finish.
Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala took second in 9.98 after being added late to the field, while American sprinter Kenny Bednarek matched that time for third place.
It marked the firstDiamond League victory of Leotlela’s career and continued a strong rise for the South African, who carried a personal best of 9.87 into the meeting.
“It means a lot to win my first-ever Diamond League,” Leotlela said afterwards.
“It is a first time in China for me, so to finish number one was a great feeling. I wanted to come here and enjoy myself and make a good start to the season.”
Leotlela said he focused more on execution than the clock in a field packed with proven international performers.
“I knew I am in great shape, but I didn’t want to think about time, just focus on my race. I had a decent start, not great. I just tried to keep my composure, stay in my rhythm and stay strong.”
The performance will strengthen belief that Leotlela can challenge consistently on the global stage this season, particularly with major championships looming later in the year.
“The main goal for me in 2026 is to win the Commonwealth Games and then on to the Ultimate Championships at the end of the season,” he said.
South Africa’s Akani Simbinefinished sixth in 10.05, while Botswana Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo crossed seventh in 10.12 after balancing 100m and 400m races earlier this season.
The 2026 Wanda Diamond League season continues in Xiamen on 23 May before travelling to stops including Rome, Paris, London and Zurich ahead of the final in Brussels on 4 and 5 September 2026.
