Gerda Steyn after breaks another Comrades record: ‘Best day of my life’ (2024)

Another ultra-marathon, another Gerda Steyn record.

The unrelenting marathon runner broke her own Comrades Marathon Up Run record on Sunday, coming in at 5:49:46, smashing her 2019 time of 5:58:53 by nearly 10 minutes.

“I am speechless once again today. It is the best day of my life,” an elated Steyn said after crossing the finish line in Pietermaritzburg.

“For South Africa, I was carrying the thought of everyone watching the race today from the start to finish. It carried me, so thank you everybody.”

Steyn ran nearly unopposed as she led the women’s field of the 85.91km race from Durban all the way to the finish line at Scottsville Stadium in Pietermaritzburg.

“I do feel like my plan worked really well,” she said. “I’m quite particular when it comes to planning. I know where I want to be at certain spots.

“There was never really a time in the race where I wasn’t on plan, except for 2km to go [to the finish].

“I looked at the clock and saw that I will have to sprint to make it under 5:50 and I only just made it so it’s just an extra bonus.”

Sunday’s win is Steyn’s third overall at the Comrades – following wins in 2019 and 2023 – and second in succession, making her the fifth woman to win it three times.

It’s been a brilliant year for the runner, having broken the course records at Om Die Dam, The Two Oceans Marathon and now the Comrades.

It is also an Olympic year, with Steyn set to fight for a spot on the podium in the marathon on the streets of Paris in two months.

“It is a challenge that I’ve set myself,” the Phantane Athletics Club runner said.

“I know nobody has ever attempted running Comrades and the Olympics in the same year but I feel really blessed that I’ve got this opportunity.

“To stand here today, it feels like I have the platform to encourage people to go after difficult things because it’s worth it and it builds your character and it inspires so many people.

“I’m happy about my choice and I’m going to work so hard to be ready on 11 August to represent South Africa in the proudest way that I possibly can.”

Russia’s Alexandra Morozova, the 2022 Comrades Marathon winner, was second in 6:05:12 while America’s Courtney Olsen, running in her first Comrades, closed out the podium in 6:08:09.

Flying Dutchman

In the men’s race, 26-year-old Dutch runner Piet Wiersma took first place in an impressive time of 5:25:00 to become the first non-South African winner of the race since Zimbabwe’s Stephen Muzhingi in 2011.

Lesotho’s Jobo Khatoane led to half at Drummond before he stopped his watch and stepped aside as he allowed Russian runner Aleksei Beresnev to pass him — a clear ploy from his Maxed Running Club.

Winner of the last two Comrades Marathons, Tete Dijana, stopped dead twice while running in the elite bus, allowing several runners to pass him before running behind the group again.

Dijana struggled in the last 30km and faded to finish outside of the top 10.

Just after Cato Ridge with about 20km to go to the finish line in Pietermaritzburg, a Nedbank quartet, led by 2022 runner-up Wiersma, overtook a labouring Beresnev.

Wiersma broke away from the pack and surged ahead at Little Pollys, about 40 minutes out from the finish, and held on to pass under the Comrades Marathon arches first.

South Africa’s Dan Moselakwe came in second at 5:25:45 while Ethiopia’s Degefa Yohannese Lafebo finished third in 5:27:48. DM