Latest news with #UltimateHumanRace
IOL News
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Gerda Steyn's love for the Comrades shines through in her latest victory
Gerda Steyn has now won three consecutive Comrades after her latest victory this past Sunday. | Sibonelo Ngcobo Independent Media Image: Sibonelo Ngcobo Independent Media Gerda Steyn is hoping to extend her Comrades Marathon love affair as long as her body allows it, fans of the darling of SA road running – and the Ultimate Human Race in particular – will be delighted to hear. Her love for the Comrades was evident once again as the 'Smiling Assassin' sprinkled her infectious fairy dust all along the route on her way to a third title in a row in Sunday's down run. It was definitely reciprocated at the finish line on the streets outside People's Park in Durban. The chants of "Gerda! Gerda! Gerda!" grew ever louder as the diminutive road running star drew closer to the finish. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The cheers that greeted her when she breasted the tape in the 98th edition of the race were arguably among the loudest on the day, with hundreds of delirious well-wishers banging on the advertising hoardings lining the finish in a celebratory cacophony. Gerda responded by waving at her adoring fans, the ever-present smile lighting up her face despite being in obvious pain. She had to dig deep at the end of the race, but pulled through in typical fashion, carried to victory by the raucous support. 'It was an amazing feeling so close to the finish line,' she told Independent Media, after the race. "You've run for many, many hours and trained for many, many months and then finally to get to the finishing straight knowing that you're going to break the tape, is a moment that's difficult to explain in words." Steyn made her observations as a special guest of detergent brand OMO's Stay Unbeatable campaign. 'This race stands out for me even more above the other Comrades that I've done. Every year it just feels like it gets bigger and more special and it creeps even deeper under my skin.' The 35-year-old Steyn crossed the finish line in 5:51:10, to bag her fourth title, following her maiden victory back in 2019. Russia's Alexandra Morozova, a former winner, finished in second (5:55:56). Fellow South African Tete Dijana won the men's race. With the job done for another year, SA's ultramarathon queen is looking forward to putting her feet up. 'When it comes to my diet, I have to be strict and particular when I'm training and before a race as well. So, I definitely look forward to treating myself a little bit after the race. 'If there's two items that stand out for me, what I'm looking forward to the most, perhaps a glass of red wine and a big ice cream,' she revealed. 'Normally the dust settles after about a week and after that I will definitely be enjoying a nice break both for the body and for the mind. I plan to spend it with friends and family and just relax and get strong for the next challenge.' Steyn revealed she is hoping to run another marathon at the end of the year, while being wary of overextending herself. Gerda Steyn added to her growing Comrades domination on Sunday. Image: Sibonelo Ngcobo / Independent Newspapers 'It is always tempting because there's so many amazing races around the country and around the world. So, it's difficult to say no to many races – I love racing – but for me I've seen in the past it works really well if I plan my racing calendar with about three races a year,' she said. 'I'm hoping to run the Soweto Marathon because I've never done that before.' None of the races will ever take the place of the Ultimate Human Race in Gerda's heart, however. 'Comrades, to me, means so much more than a race. It's where I found my passion for running and my passion in life as well.
eNCA
2 days ago
- Sport
- eNCA
Thousands set off on ultimate human race
PIETERMARITZBURG - The 98th edition of the Comrades Marathon is here. This is a 49th Down Run, starting at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall and finishing 12 hours later at Durban's People's Park, covering approximately 89km. As always, the Ultimate Human Race sees both professional athletes gunning for the win and thousands of members of the public who want to test their capabilities.
IOL News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Young runners make their Comrades Marathon debut
Xander Mcneil and Minkateko Letsoalo will be among the youngest runners taking on the Comrades Marathon Image: Leon Lestrade / Independent Media Making their Comrades Marathon debut today are Minkateko Letsoalo and Xander Mcneil. Both aged 20, are the youngest runners starting at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall and making their way to Durban's People's Park. The duo will join over 22 000 runners who are running 89.98 km in the 98th edition of the iconic Ultimate Human Race. The annual marathon attracts runners from various countries. Minkateko Letsoalo is running her first Comrades Marathon today Image: Leon Lestrada Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Letsoalo, from Pretoria, said she wanted to do something big this year and decided to do the Comrades Marathon. "My mum, Pumza Khumalo ran two Comrades years back and I decided to get her to join me again. I have been running since the age of 17, with my mum, just to keep active. "I began training for the Comrades last year. People ask me why I am doing this at such a young age, and I say I rather do this whilst I am young," said Letsoalo. Minkateko Letsoalo and her mum Pumza Khumalo, who are both running the Comrades Marathon today Image: Leon Lestrada Letsoalo's longest run thus far has been the 50 km Tshwane North Ultra, which was her qualifier to the said she enjoys being part of the running community as she gets to meet new people along the way. "The running community is very supportive and has been giving me advice," she said. Letsoalo said she was very excited and nervous. "I am happy that it is a down run. Although I haven't trained along the Comrades route, I have had some practice runs in Pretoria in areas that replicate the route. "I am feeling that adrenaline rush, especially being surrounded by other runners. No matter what happens I will come back next year," she said. Xander Mcneil will make his Comrades Marathon debut today. Image: Leon Lestrada Mcneil, who lives in Stellenbosch, said he always had a love for running. After being diagnosed with a disc herniation or spinal disc herniation, an injury to the intervertebral disc between two vertebrae, he decided there was a lot more to life than slowing down. "With this disease my back is compensated and this has caused sclerosis. After a near death experience in hospital my chiropractor said everyone's got talent and motivation to do something. "My dad ran two Comrades previously and so I decided to give it a try. Running is part of my life. This disease may hinder certain aspects of my life, but it won't stop me from doing what I enjoy," said Mcneil. He said the Comrades Marathon may be a big jump, but it is something he can accomplish. "I am happy that my first Comrades is a down run. I am hoping to finish in sub 10," he said. Meanwhile with all types of accommodation in the host cities of Durban and Pietermaritzburg, and beyond, expected to be fully booked, Sibusiso Gumbi, the Acting Chief Executive of the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority, said he was delighted that the race will exceed pre-COVID figures.' 'With all eyes on the race, we are hoping that it will inspire people - whether they watch it on the roadside or on their televisions - to choose KZN for their next holiday or attend one of our many sporting events that are hosted in our province,' said Gumbi. The economic spin-off from the Comrades Marathon topped R600-million last year and it was expected to be even more this year, with race organisers predicting it could reach over R600-million, with a direct spend of R275 308, and at least 1800 jobs created. 'The Comrades Marathon brings more visitors to our region than any other big international sporting event. We have everything a tourist could wish for: beautiful scenery, the beach, the bush, the Berg, diverse attractions, including game reserves and safari experiences, and friendly people.' Hotelier Brett Tungay, board chairman of the regional branch of the Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa (Fedhasa) said: 'Bearing in mind the overall trajectory of the year for KZN, there is a real sense of optimism in tourism circles.' The hospitality industry was expecting positive tourism figures 'driven by the participation of international runners and the influx of domestic visitors from various regions of the country''. He pointed out that the Comrades Marathon follows a bumper May when Durban and KZN hosted crowd-pulling sporting events and Africa's Travel Indaba, which attracted almost 10 000 delegates from around the world. Record turnout The Comrades Marathon Association General Manager, Alain Dalais, said 'With this year's race attracting the largest Down Run field in the history of the race, we're expecting a record turnout of spectators and supporters, so this all points to the 2025 race being a true spectacle". Some 22 677 runners have qualified – 20% of the field are women - and organisers are expecting 'at least' 24 000 to start the race. The previous record for the Down Run was 19 047 runners set in 2018. The Comrades Marathon has attracted 3 063 international runners: 1 282 from the Rest of Africa and 1 781 from countries outside Africa. 'We expect those international athletes to bring around another 3 000 family, loved ones and travelling companions with them; hence some 6 000 international visitors will be coming to the province, Dalais said. Extra time Many runners and their supporters – particularly the international runners and their families – spend extra time in the province after the race, with the international visitors booking game drives and safari visits to wildlife conservation areas, like Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve and the Ithala Game Reserve. They also make the most of the great beaches and the warm waters of the KZN coastline, Dalais added. The course is somewhat shorter this year (89km) as it needs to accommodate road construction at the Umlaas Road Interchange, with the route going through some suburbs. There will be 47 refreshment stations along the route and there will be several 'fun, vibey' activation points and spectator zones to support the runners. Another big change is that the start of the race will be divided into two groups – the first setting off at 5.45am and the second at 6am – to promote safety, avoid bottlenecks and to give the runners the opportunity of posting a good time by reducing the time it takes them to get over the start line. Another innovation for 2025 All runners will have 12 hours to complete the race. 'The street finish in Durban is another innovation this year, with one of the biggest bonuses for the runners being that they won't need to climb any stairs after finishing, as has been the case when they have finished inside one of the stadiums,' Dalais said. 'This will also allow the clubs to have their tents and gazebos close to the finish line, creating a great vibe throughout the day.' The race was started in 1921 as a living memorial to South African soldiers who lost their lives in the First World War. Known for its challenging course, scenic views and unique traditions, the race will include big names, repeat runners and first timers. Both of last year's men's and women's winners, Piet Wiersma (Netherlands) and Gerda Steyn, will be competing. Other previous winners, Tete Dijana and Edward Mothibi and Alexandra Morozova (Russia) will also be competing. 'And there are many others in the elite field that could also challenge for the win,' the Comrades Marathon general manager said. Several celebrities will also be competing, with popular comedian and TV personality Schalk Bezuidenhout running his first Comrades, while well-known rapper and musician Kabelo Mabalane will be aiming for a 13th Comrades medal. SUNDAY TRIBUNE
IOL News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
How GEMS supports underprivileged runners at the Comrades Marathon
Helping underprivileged runners The GEMS team prepare for a busy day at the Comrades Marathon. Photo: Supplied Image: Supplied Fanyana Chamani will be out to run a new Personal Best (PB) time on Sunday as he chalks up a third Comrades Marathon finish. Talented a runner as he is, though, the Waterfall AC athlete would ordinarily not be on the start line in front of the Pietermaritzburg City Hall among the close to 25,000 athletes who will tackle the 98th running of The Ultimate Human Race. 'I just would not have afforded it," says the runner from Zola, Soweto. "I am unemployed and I cannot afford to pay for a hotel. I don't know any people in KZN who could host me for the weekend, so it would not be easy for me to go to Comrades." But thanks to a corporate company that chose to partner with the Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) in a way not many would have found attractive, the likes of Chamani are able to be part of the world's most famous ultramarathon. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Of course, the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) is in it for some ROI (return on investment) — it is the reason companies get involved in sports. And they are no different. 'The Comrades Marathon is, of course, a very powerful brand — the fact that it is called the Ultimate Human Race signifies just how important it is among global ultramarathons, and for us the partnership made sense from a perspective of promoting the GEMS brand,' says GEMS Principal Officer Stan Moloabi. 'As a medical aid scheme, we felt it would be great to associate with an entity that is very powerful from a healthy lifestyle point of view because that would help leverage our brand.' But the fact that they looked at it from a social impact angle speaks volumes and sets them a little apart from other sponsors. 'For us, it is always important to put our members first, and this kind of partnership with Comrades speaks to how we can collaborate with our members to achieve — in this instance — promoting a healthy lifestyle. We took advantage of the fact that we have over 800,000 principal members and some of them are sportspeople. We realised that there are a good number of members who also participate in the Comrades. However, when they go, they have to stay a few days there, and that requires them to pay for transport and accommodation — and we found that some of them can't cover all their costs. We first then identified their needs and created this accommodation platform for GEMS members, which we have since extended to include everybody who is underprivileged.' And along with the CMA, GEMS then checks the applications from the runners and accommodates them accordingly, allowing the likes of Chamani to participate in the race they dearly love. 'The scheme covers non-GEMS members as well, and there is a way that they identify those who are unable to take care of their accommodation needs. At GEMS, we believe that anything that is of social good, where you help people who would otherwise not be able to afford and accommodate themselves, works for us — and that's exactly the point of our involvement with the Comrades. It is not for the limelight; we feel good where we are allowed to help people. For us, that's where the element of ubuntu comes through.' Helping the underprivileged GEMS Chief Operations Officer Dr Vuyo Gqola ahead of the 2025 Comrades Marathon from Pietermaritzburg to Durban. Photo: Supplied Image: Supplied Do not, however, misconstrue that to mean that GEMS is just being charitable. Far from it, for Moloabi said it took some convincing to have everyone on the board agree to the partnership with Comrades. 'It was not easy, because when we do work to promote the GEMS brand, not everyone agrees that it is worth it. Marketing the organization, some people wondered whether it was worth it. So we had to check our policies and our processes to ensure we aligned with the things we want to achieve. We have to justify why we decided to spend money on a sponsorship — and we use this partnership carefully because it is a marketing relationship. Is it working? We certainly think so. Whenever we have entered into such partnerships, after every event our marketing team assesses how much exposure it has given us — a way of evaluating the return on investment — and for the few years we've been with Comrades, we are very happy with that.' They are again making it possible for runners such as Chamani to participate at the Comrades this year. "I've used the accommodation they offer in the last two races and I am going to use it again. It is a very good thing they are doing because they provide us with a mattress and a blanket to sleep on in a very warm place. And they also give us food and fruit. It is really good because there are a lot of runners like me who would not be able to come here and run our favourite race." And because he does not have to worry about where he will sleep and what he will eat, Chamani has been able to train properly as he looks to get his second silver medal. "I ran a 7:20 in my first one two years ago, but I had it bad last year and finished in over ten hours. This time I am going for silver again and I am confident I will run a new PB." GEMS' involvement with Comrades goes 'beyond the race itself," because they also sponsor the Spirit of Comrades awards that recognise people who have contributed positively to the race. "It means a lot for us to be a part of an event that is 100 years old, and we are very proud to honour people like yourself in the media for the role you play in the Comrades Marathon," says Moloabi. They don't just provide the accommodation and food — they also spend time with the runners prior to the race to provide inspiration. "As the GEMS team, we meet with the runners of the underprivileged programme a day before the race to try and inspire them as much as we can. This year, three executive team members from GEMS will be there to see them, and we will also have a gazebo at the finish line to receive them." It is a sponsorship of a different kind — one that ensures the likes of Fanyana Chamani are able to run the Comrades Marathon and chase their silver medals. IOL Sport
The Citizen
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
BLOGGING THE VIEW: Everything you need to know about the Comrades Marathon 2025
BLOGGING THE VIEW: Everything you need to know about the Comrades Marathon 2025 THE Comrades Marathon, dubbed the 'Ultimate Human Race', returns for its 98th edition this Sunday, 8 June. This iconic ultramarathon will follow the down run route, starting from Pietermaritzburg City Hall and concluding at Durban's People's Park. Fast Facts about Comrades 2025 1. Route The 2025 down run spans 89.98km, descending from Pietermaritzburg to Durban. The course includes notable landmarks such as Polly Shortts, Umlaas Road, Cato Ridge, Drummond (halfway point), Inchanga and Fields Hill. ALSO READ: 10 fun facts about the Comrades Marathon 2. Cut-off points To ensure runner safety and race integrity, specific cut-off times are enforced at various points along the route: · Cato Ridge (30.5km): 5:10:00 race time (11.10am) · Drummond (45km): 6:40:00 race time (12.40pm) · Winston Park (58.3km): 8:30:00 race time (2.30pm) · Pinetown (69.1km): 10:05:00 race time (4.05pm) · 45th Cutting (81.5km): 11:30:00 race time (5.30pm) · Finish (89.98km): 12:00:00 race time (6pm) 3. Qualification and entry Being such a gruelling race – almost double the traditional marathon length – Comrades has strict qualifying criteria to ensure the safety of all. This includes: · Qualifying period: 10 June 2024 to 5 May 2025 · Minimum age: 20 years · Qualifying criteria: Completion of an officially recognised standard marathon (42.2km) in under 4 hours and 50 minutes during the qualifying period. ALSO READ: Comrades Marathon 2025: Road closures and travel alerts for Zululand residents 4. Medal categories Completing the Comrades Marathon is an amazing accomplishment, and all race finishers will receive a medal based on their completion time. The categories include: · Gold: Top 10 finishers (men and women) · Wally Hayward: Men finishing 11th place to sub-6:00 · Isavel Roche-Kelly: Women finishing 11th place to sub-7:00 · Silver: Men finishing sub-7:30; women from 2024 onward · Bill Rowan: 7:30 to sub-9:00 · Robert Mtshali: 9:00 to sub-10:00 · Bronze: 10:00 to sub-11:00 · Vic Clapham: 11:00 to sub-12:00 · Back-to-Back: Awarded to novices who complete their second consecutive Comrades Marathon 5. Traditions and highlights With almost a century of history, the Comrades Marathon has a number of interesting race rituals and traditions that are followed. These include: · Start rituals: The race gets going with the South African national anthem, followed by Shosholoza, Chariots of Fire and Max Trimborn's iconic rooster crow. · Arthur's Seat: Located near Drummond (halfway point), runners often place flowers here as they believe it brings good luck for the remainder of the race. · Finish line: A 12-hour gun signals the official end of the race, followed by the Last Post to honour those who didn't finish in time. Support the runners along the Comrades route or from your couch this Sunday! Don't have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here: HAVE YOUR SAY Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. For news straight to your phone invite us: WhatsApp – 060 784 2695 Instagram – zululand_observer At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
