Comrades Marathon FEEL GOOD: Oldest finisher sets a NEW record
Comrades Marathon legend Wally Hayward's record as the oldest person to complete the iconic race fell back in 2023 having stood for 34 years.
When then 81-year-old Johannes Maros Mosehla crossed the finish line that year at Hollywoodbets Kingsmead, he broke Hayward's record as the oldest competitor to complete the ultra-marathon.
Hayward ran 10:58:03 in 1989 when he was 80, coincidently the same year that Frith van der Merwe set the then women's 'down' record of 5:54:43.
Mosehla, who represents Polokwane Athletic Club, was running in his 10th Comrades Marathon, which also made him by far the oldest person to join the prestigious Green Number Club.
He was the oldest finisher of the 2022 event by six years in a more-than-respectable time of 11:31:27.
A year later he confirmed he was in 'much better shape' and duly crossed the line in an impressive 9:26:10, a time that was faster than well over half of the field!
Fast forward two years and Mosehla was back on the start line in Pietermaritzburg last Sunday in an attempt to break his own 'oldest ever Comrades Marathon finisher' record.
And that's exactly what he did, crossing the finish line in a time of 11:47:27 – at the age of 83.
As for what keeps him fit and healthy, Mosehla listed three main disciplines: watch what you eat
watch how much sleep you get, and
watch who you sleep with!
Sunday's 98th Comrades Marathon started outside the Pietermaritzburg City Hall at 05:30 and ended 12 hours – and 89.98km – later at People's Park in Durban.
It was the 49th 'down' run.
South Africa's Tete Dijana won the men's race by just five seconds from Dutchman Piet Wiersma.
In the women's race, Gerda Steyn, the darling of South African ultra-distance running, won for a third consecutive year – and fourth time overall.
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