Gerda Steyn waves her way to Comrades Marathon record – and R2 million

South Africa’s ultra-marathon darling, Gerda Steyn, smashed her own Comrades Marathon record in emphatic fashion on Sunday, 9 June.

Sunday’s race was the 97th edition and the 49th ‘up’ run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg.

Steyn, 34, won her third Comrades Marathon title – and second ‘up’ run – in what was a new record time of 5:49:46.

Alexandra Morozova of Russia finished in second in a time of 6:05:12 with American Courtney Olsen in third in 6:08:09.

Steyn picked up R2 075 000 for her win, courtesy of R825 000 for winning, R500 000 for the new record, R500 000 for a fastest ever average pace, R200 000 for being a South African winner and R50 000 for the Cell C Hot Spot incentive.

The race started at 05:30 at the Durban City Hall and the final cut-off gun sounded 12 hours later at 17:30 at the Hollywoodbets Scottsville Racecourse.

The official route distance is 85.91km, making this year’s race the shortest ever Comrades Marathon.

PIET WIERSMA WINS MEN’S TITLE

Earlier, the Netherlands’ Piet Wiersma won the men’s title.

Wiersma, 26, crossed the finish line in an unofficial time of 5:25:00.

South Africa’s Dan Moselakwe finished second in 5:25:45, with Ethiopia’s Degefa Lafebo rounding out the podium in 5:27:48.

Wiersma finished second in last year’s ‘down’ run by just three seconds.

His 2023 time was the fastest ever by a Comrades Marathon debutant.

He won R825 000 for his efforts and was the first non-South African winner of the race since Zimbabwe’s Stephen Muzhingi triumphed in 2011

MAXIMUM POSSIBLE WINNINGS FOR MEN AND WOMEN

Win – R825 000

Record – R500 000

Best average pace – R500 000

SA athlete – R200 000

KwaZulu-Natal athlete – R60 000

Cell C Hot Spot – R50 000

TOTAL: R2 135 000

COMRADES MARATHON ‘UP’ RUN RECORDS – UPDATED

Men

Leonid Shvetsov (Russia) – 5.24.39 (set in 2008)

Women

Gerda Steyn (South Africa) – 5.49:46 (set in 2024)