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The women's race was won by Gerda Steyn (5:44:53), in second place was Nobukhosi Tshuma (5:53:36), and Irvette Van Zyl took third position in 6:02:30.
This year’s Comrades Marathon proved a lot of commentators, followers and road running pundits wrong. Many of the runners who were in the top 10 last year during the down-run (Pietermaritzburg to Durban) failed to conquer the podium.
Popular runners and former winners, such as Tete Dijana (last year’s winner), Edward Mothibi, Bongmusa Mthembu (multiple Comrades Marathon winner), Joseph Manyedi and Onalenna Khonkhobe, just to name a few, had a “bad day in the office” as they failed to make it into the top 10.
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The overall winner was George Kusche in 5:15:56 and after him was the flying Dutchman Piet Wiersma (5:19:36).
In third position was North West-based Mbuti Mollo in 5:21:31.
Kusche said that when he crossed the finishing line, he found it difficult to believe that it was him finishing the race.
He said that the Comrades Marathon is the most difficult and complicated race in the World.
It’s the most nerve-racking, tough and complicated race I’ve ever seen around the world.
“To run this race is not easy at all and there are a lot of challenges and battles on the route,” said Kusche.
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He also agreed that he had no secret or strategy for winning the annual ultramarathon except hard work, and reminded himself how he suffered last year.
“I don’t do any fancy stuff or use excessively technical methods of training.
“During last year’s race, I suffered badly and it was hurting, so today [Sunday] I kept on playing that in my mind.
“I said to myself that if I was able to take that pain last year, why can’t I do that again, and that I must keep on going until the end,” said Kusche.
North West athlete Mollo revealed a secret that was not known for the entire race. He said the deal that was made by his club Mr Price’s Maxed Elite was for him to run as a “rabbit” — pacemaker — until the official halfway mark at Drummond, then pull out — but he decided to run the whole race.
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“In fact, my instructions from my club was to be a pacemaker for my team-mates but I started enjoying the race and I said why not go all the way,” said Mollo.
Mollo says he made the decision at the 50km mark that he is no longer dropping out but will run the full race.
The women’s race was won by Gerda Steyn (5:44:53), in second place was Nobukhosi Tshuma (5:53:36), and Irvette Van Zyl took third position in 6:02:30.
Speaking after her victory, an emotional Steyn said she was grateful her race strategy had worked perfectly.
It’s just an honour and a pleasure to be sitting here again. I gave it everything I had and my plans for the day came together.
“The moment became so big when I crossed the finish line,” she said.
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“Bruce Fordyce once told me that you can’t call yourself a champion until you’ve won both the up run and the down run back to back. So standing here now means a lot to me,” she said.
Steyn is already looking ahead to next year’s milestone 100th Comrades Marathon.
Deputy Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Sihle Zikalala completed his first Comrades Marathon, while Msunduzi Deputy Mayor Mxolisi Mkhize ran his sixth.
Zikalala said his debut was filled with emotion from start to finish, with a sense of patriotism and unity running through the field.
When we were gathering and we started singing the National Anthem, there is a feeling of unity.
“There was this feeling of patriotism because we are working toward the same goal and there was just this beautiful feeling,” he said, adding the Comrades served as a shining example of the social cohesion the country needed, particularly during Youth Month, and confirmed he would return for the 100th edition.
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The men’s top 10 results are as follows:
George Kusche (South Africa) — 5:15:56
Piet Wiersma (Netherlands) — 5:19:36
Mbuti Mollo (South Africa) — 5:21:31
Alex Milne (United Kingdom) — 5:22:29
Haruki Okayama (Japan) — 5:24:46
Charles Lawrence (United States) — 5:27:08
Lloyd Bosman (South Africa) — 5:28:53
Nikolai Volkov (Russia) — 5:28:59
Vasilii Korytkin (Russia) — 5:28:29
Tebogo Pulusa (South Africa) — 5:29:40.
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The women’s top 10 results are as follows:
Gerda Steyn — 5:44:53
Nobukhosi Tshuma — 5:53:36
Irvette van Zyl — 6:02:30
Shelmith Muruiki — 6:06:38
Naomi Robinson — 6:07:55
Loveness Madziva — 6:09:54
Courtney Olsen — 6:11:20
Dikiledi Majara — 6:12:29
Jenet Mbhele — 6:13:08
Carla Molinaro — 6:14:04.