South African runners have once again dominated the Comrades Marathon, clenching the top spots this year while flying our flag high.
For elite and amateur runners, Comrades is a box that needs to be ticked, often more than once. It’s a special event that has shown incredible endurance over the years, much like the runners who participate and this year South Africa has been done proud in the 2018 Comrades Marathon which is taking place today in KwaZulu-Natal.
The men’s race was won by Bongumusa Mthembu with a brilliant time of 5:26:35. while the ladies race was won by South African Ann Ashworth with an equally amazing time of 6:10:04.
Mthembu won the Comrades Marathon for the first time in 2014 and again in 2017, becoming the second South African to win it twice in a row, since ‘Comrades king’, Bruce Fordyce. This is his third win.
Ashworth, who resides in Johannesburg, is part of the Randburg Harriers Running Club and won the Legends 68km Ultra Marathon in East London in 2017.
The longest marathon in the world started at 5:30am on Sunday.
There were seven South Africans in the men’s top ten with the other three athletes coming from Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Great Britain.
Five women in the top ten were South Africans, including Tanith Maxwell, Chane Bosman and Yolande Maclean.
Over time, marathons and races come and go. But the Comrades is nearly a century old, and nine-time winner Bruce Fordyce believes Comrades Marathon is a unique race that remains as timeless as its history; and that’s where the appeal lies.
“It’s ingrained into South African culture. It’s like biltong, or rugby and soccer, it’s just part of the DNA of South Africa and it’s one of our “special” sports.
Fordyce feels Comrades is an institution. “Comrades has incredible longevity, and with that comes its wonderful traditions and a wonderful history associated with it, from the green numbers to the different medals. It now also has 12 hours of television coverage, no other ultra marathon in the world has that.”
Top 10 finishers for 2018
Men
1. Bong’musa Mthembu‚ RSA (5:26:34)
2. Joseph Mphuthi‚ RSA (5:35: 09)
3. Steven Way (5:35:27)‚ Great Britain (5:35:27)
4. Edward Mothibi‚ RSA (5:36:32)
5. Marko Mambo‚ Zimbabwe (5:37:49)
6. Gordon Lesetedi‚ RSA (5:39:32)
7. Teboho Sello‚ Lesotho (5:42:21)
8. David Gatebe‚ RSA‚ (5:42:43)
9. Gift Kelehe‚ RSA (5:46:50)
10. Nkosinathi Duma‚ RSA (5:47:09)
Women
1. Ann Ashworth‚ RSA (6:10:04)
2. Gerda Steyn‚ RSA (6:15:34)
3. Alexandra Morozova‚ Russia (6:20:21)
4. Tanith Maxwell‚ RSA (6:20:35)
5. Charne Bosman‚ RSA (6:33:08)
6. Sophia Sundberg‚ Sweden (6:45;24)
7. Devon Yanko‚ USA (6:47:44)
8. Sarah Bard‚ USA‚ (6:49:05)
9. Carla Molinaro‚ Great Britain (6:50:31)
10. Yolande McLean‚ RSA (6:52:16)
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