logo
London Marathon breaks world record for number of finishers

London Marathon breaks world record for number of finishers

TimesLIVE28-04-2025
London Marathon organisers said Sunday's edition of the event set a world record for the number of finishers, eclipsing the previous mark of 55,646 set at last year's New York City Marathon.
Organisers did not provide a final figure but said a new mark had been set at 6.35pm London time with runners still crossing the finish line.
Kenyan Sabastian Sawe won the men's elite race while Ethiopian Tigst Assefa shattered the women's-only world record.
'The TCS London Marathon is the world's greatest marathon, and it is now officially the world's biggest marathon,' London Marathon Events CEO Hugh Brasher said on Sunday.
A record 56,000 runners had been expected to participate in the 42.195km race that started at Greenwich Park, snaked along the River Thames before finishing on The Mall.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Super-sub Ndlovu fires Chiefs past Polokwane City
Super-sub Ndlovu fires Chiefs past Polokwane City

The Citizen

time2 days ago

  • The Citizen

Super-sub Ndlovu fires Chiefs past Polokwane City

Ndlovu comes off the bench to score a 79th minute winner for Amakhosi. Just when it seemed Polokwane City would again deny Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium, Siphesihle Ndlovu popped up with a winner on Wednesday to maintain Amakhosi's perfect start to the Betway Premiership season. ALSO READ: Pirates 'threw' three points away against Gallants, says Ndluli Chiefs had failed to score in their three previous league meetings with City at FNB Stadium. But with time ticking away, in the 79th minute, new signing Ndlovu slammed the ball past Brian Bwire to give Amakhosi a 1-0 win. Fast Chiefs start Chiefs have won successive Premiership matches for the first time since the first two games of last season. With six points out of six again to start this campaign, this time they must push on. Chiefs made two changes from their opening win at Stellenbosch. Nkosingiphile Ngcobo dropped to the bench despite scoring against Stellies, while forward Naledi Hlongwane was not even in the squad. Sibongiseni Mthethwa stepped into midfield, while Gaston Sirino got his first start of the campaign. While Chiefs tried to pry a way through Phuti Mohafe's well-organised City, it was the away team who tested Amakhosi goalkeeper Brandon Peterson in the early stages. In the 5th minute a Chiefs error at the back allowed Bonginkosi Dlamini a chance, and his low shot was easily gathered by Peterson. Peterson also pushed away Mokibelo Ramadu's free kick and tipped over Mozambian midfielder Kambala's long-range effort. Chiefs finally tested Brian Bwire in the City goal in the 28th minute. The Kenyan 'keeper did well to dive low to his left and keep Glody Lilepo's effort out. Lilepo came even closer to hitting the back of the net in the 39th minute. His header from Gaston Sirino's corner cannoned back off the crossbar. Chiefs brought on Ngcobo for the second half, but both sides battled to create chances in an increasingly tepid affair. In the 59th minute, Lilepo again tested Bwire, who gathered his shot at the second attempt. Super-subs Pule Mmodi came off the bench, returning after serving a two match ban, while Ndlovu also came on, as did Reeve Frosler. ALSO READ: 'Take Mofokeng out of Pirates and they'll struggle,' – Sundowns' Cardoso And all three were involved in the Chiefs goal in the 79th minute. Mmodi's long ball to the back post found Frosler, whose ball across the box was cleared right back to him. The Chiefs right back teed up Ndlovu, who slammed his shot into the corner of the net.

SPAR Women's Challenge Tshwane: A Celebration of Purpose, Empowerment and Giving Back
SPAR Women's Challenge Tshwane: A Celebration of Purpose, Empowerment and Giving Back

The Citizen

time7 days ago

  • The Citizen

SPAR Women's Challenge Tshwane: A Celebration of Purpose, Empowerment and Giving Back

While the streets around SuperSport Park in Centurion echoed with the joy and strength of 17,000 women participating in the sold-out SPAR Women's Challenge Tshwane this past weekend, the true heartbeat of the event was the incredible impact made far beyond the finish line. Hosted in Women's Month, the 2025 edition of the SPAR Women's Challenge Tshwane once again proved that this iconic event is about so much more than a race. It is a rallying cry for community, empowerment, and giving back. As part of the My SPAR My Community campaign, over R350,000 was donated to organisations doing vital work to support and uplift women across the region. These include charities focused on early childhood development, educational support, the fight against Gender-Based Violence, and burn victim care at the Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital. 'At SPAR, we believe that when women thrive, communities thrive. This event is a celebration of our most loyal customers, but also a strategic and heartfelt platform to invest back into their lives and futures,' said Ralph Rajagopaul, Divisional Marketing Director – SPAR North Rand & Botswana just before the race on Saturday. A significant highlight of this year's event was the ongoing SPAR End Period Poverty campaign, aimed at eradicating period poverty by 2030. Thanks to the sanitary pad donation drive and the support of thousands of participants, 4,000 girls will now be able to stay in school for another month, removing a critical barrier to education. 'Empowerment starts with dignity. By tackling challenges like period poverty and supporting GBV prevention programmes, we are making bold strides toward a future where every girl has the opportunity to thrive,' Mpudi Maubane, National PR, Communications & Sponsorships Manager at SPAR South Africa remarked. The day was also filled with moments of joy and celebration. In a highlight that had the entire stadium cheering, one lucky participant won a brand-new Hyundai Exter worth R269000, adding even more excitement to an already memorable event. The top three finishers of the 10km 2025 @SPARWomensPta which took place at @SuperSportPark on Saturday are from left second placed Ethiopian Diniya Abaraya (Nedbank), winner #GlenroseXaba (Boxer) and Ethiopian Selam Gebre (Nedbank) who finished third.#Twenty20thrive — SPAR Grand Prix (@SPARGrandPrix) August 3, 2025 Elite athletes were also recognised for their incredible talent, with Glenrose Xaba taking top honours in the 10km race and walking away with R43000 in prize money. In total, R195500 in prize money was awarded – all to women – underlining SPAR's commitment to creating tangible opportunities for female athletes to succeed. The SPAR Women's Challenge Tshwane continues to be more than a race – it is a movement. One that celebrates resilience, honours womanhood, and builds a better, more equitable future for all. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram

Glenrose Xaba in tough battle with Ethiopian rivals, but does it again in SPAR Women's Challenge Tshwane
Glenrose Xaba in tough battle with Ethiopian rivals, but does it again in SPAR Women's Challenge Tshwane

The Citizen

time02-08-2025

  • The Citizen

Glenrose Xaba in tough battle with Ethiopian rivals, but does it again in SPAR Women's Challenge Tshwane

Glenrose Xaba in tough battle with Ethiopian rivals, but does it again in SPAR Women's Challenge Tshwane The crown of champion of the SPAR Women's Challenge Tshwane, the fifth race in the 2025 SPAR Grand Prix, still sits firmly on the head of a local Pretoria athlete. Glenrose Xaba of the Boxer club not only successfully defended her title as winner of the SPAR Women's Challenge Tshwane on Saturday at the SuperSport Park Stadium in Centurion, but also proved that she currently has no equal over the 10km distance in South Africa. Xaba crossed the finish line in 32:39, which is 0.14s faster than her winning time in the same race last year. However, she was in a tough battle with Ethiopian Diniya Abaraya (Nedbank), who kept pace with her until the end, taking second place in 32:41. Another Ethiopian, Selam Gebre, also in the colours of Nedbank, finished third in a time of 33:17. 19-year-old Wiepke Schoeman, a former student of Hoërskool Zwartkop in Centurion, was the first junior athlete to cross the finish line in a time of 38:16. Xaba, probably Pretoria's biggest road racing star at the moment, is aiming to become the third South African and first black runner to win the SPAR Grand Prix Series title three times. She earned the top spot on the podium in the SPAR Grand Prix for the third time this year, after also winning in Cape Town in March and in Durban in June. She also won her sixth South African half marathon title a week ago. 'I would like to thank my coach, Violet Raseboya, and my mentor, Caster Semenya. They help me in so many ways, keeping me injury free and working out strategies for me,' Xaba said after the race. She thanked the Ethiopian and Kenyan runners for pushing South African runners to do better. 'They are making us competitive internationally,' said Xaba. Xaba said she hoped her success would encourage the next generation of South African runners. 'They can see my success and believe they can succeed too,' she said. The two Ethiopians both expressed their admiration for Xaba. 'I am amazed at how powerful she is, taking the lead from the start and staying there,' said Abaraya. She said she had found the hilly course very challenging. Former three times SPAR Grand Prix winner Irvette van Zyl (Hollywood) surprised everyone when she shot into the lead at the start of the race, but the four front runners dropped her at the two-kilometre mark and ran together for the next five kilometres, when Xaba surged into the lead. She appeared to be well ahead of the two Ethiopians, but they made up lost ground and nearly caught her on the finish line. Xaba admitted later that she had been taken by surprise. 'I thought I had dropped them, so I wasn't aware how close they were,' she said. Van Zyl said she was very excited about the young runners who were making their mark in South African road running. The Olympic athlete from Pretoria said that she only used the race to test the progress in her recovery process after the Comrades marathon in June, where she took sixth place in her debut and finished in 6 hours, 11 minutes. She then told the media, much to their amusement, that she actually wanted to finish sixth because her 6-year-old son had finished sixth in a cross-country event earlier in the week and was very proud of it. This sparked a family conversation and she didn't want to do worse than her son's sixth place. 'I am also so thrilled to see a South African winning again. I have watched Glenrose since she started and I am so impressed by her,' said Van Zyl. The sell-out SPAR Women's Tshwane Challenge had 17 000 participants. The event was held in slightly cooler weather this year than in previous years, but there was no shortage of enthusiasm and colourful merriment. Old and young, fit and less fit, as well as the traditional men who turned up in skirts and wigs for the women's Challenge – all in good spirits and for a good cause – took over the streets of Centurion around the SuperSport Park. What a finish! 🌟 Huge congratulations to our 5km winner, crossing the line in style and absolutely thriving! 💚 You set the pace for an incredible day at Tshwane's most beautiful road race! 🏅#SPARWomensTshwane #Twenty20Thrive — SPAR Women's Challenge Tshwane (@SPARWomensPta) August 2, 2025 ****************************************** Full results of the SPAR Women's 10km Challenge run at SuperSport Park on Saturday: Open category: 1. Glenrose Xaba (Boxer) 32:39; 2. Diniya Abaraya (Nedbank0 32:41; 3. Selam Gebre (Nedbank) 33:17; 4, Debrah Cherotich (Nedbank) 33:17; 5. Karabo More (Boxer) 34:03; 6. Nicola Jansen (Boxer) 34:16; 7. Karabo Mailula (Tuks) 34:34; 8. Irvette van Zyl (Hollywood) 34:42; 9. Cacisile Sosibo (Boxer) 34:55; 10. Carina Swiggers (Boxer) 36:12 Junior category: 1. Wiepke Schoeman (Boxer) 38:16; 2. Taya Pelser (Boxer) 38:59; 3. Chanel Groenewald (Boxer) 39:45 Category 40-49: 1. Leilani Scheffer (Boxer) 39:40; 2. Jeannie Henderson (Nedbank) 39:46; Steyn (Trivium) 40:09 Category 50-59: 1. Elizabeth Potter (Boxer) 4:49; 2. Anne Stewart (Atlantic) 42:51; S3. Salome Cooper (Jeppe Quondam) 43:14 Category 60-69: 1. Judy Bird (Boxer) 43:00; 2. Gail Babich (Savages) 47:01; 3. Dalene Sonnekus (Nedbank) 48:12 Category 70+: 1. Winnie Koekemoer (Team Vitality) 01:01:16; 2. Annatje Greyvenstein 01:06:22; 3. Lettie Coetzee (Pretoria Bobbies) 01:14:43 Huge congratulations to the top 3 finishers of the 10km! 💪 🥇Glenrose Xaba 🥈Dinaya Abaraya 🥉Selam Gebre You gave it your all & crushed it out there! 🎉 Well done to each of you!#SPARWomensTshwane #Twenty20Thrive — SPAR Women's Challenge Tshwane (@SPARWomensPta) August 2, 2025 Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store